Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson retires after 14 seasons, citing mental health

Lane Johnson announced his retirement from the NFL on Tuesday, 6 October 2026, after 14 seasons, according to The Guardian. The 36-year-old right tackle spent his entire career with the Philadelphia Eagles. He said in a statement on social media that he had hoped to play one final season but had decided to step away to prioritise his mental health and spend more time with his family.

"I deeply wanted to gut it out for one more year; to take the field with my brothers for one last season," Johnson wrote. "But after a lot of reflection, I've realized that my personal and family priorities in my life have changed." He added that it was "critical that I focus on my mental health", saying he owed it to his teammates, coaches, the organization and Eagles supporters to be fully committed if he continued playing. "Right now my heart is telling me that it's time to say goodbye to football," he wrote.

Johnson thanked Philadelphia, Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie, the organization and his teammates, The Guardian reported. He wrote that he had "given it my all for 14 years", season after season putting his body to the max.

The Guardian reported that the announcement came two days after Johnson was a surprise inactive for the Eagles' loss to the Los Angeles Rams because of a personal matter. He also missed four practices during training camp for personal reasons and, after returning, said this season would "probably" be his last, according to The Guardian.

Johnson was taken by the Eagles with the fourth overall pick in the 2013 draft, The Guardian reported. He started 171 regular-season games at right tackle and helped the Eagles reach three Super Bowls, winning two, and was a two-time first-team All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowl selection. Kicker reported that he is a two-time Super Bowl champion and counts among the best players at his position in league history.