Eagles tackle Lane Johnson retires, cites 'mental health' and family priorities

Lane Johnson, the Philadelphia Eagles' right tackle, announced his retirement from the NFL on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, after 14 seasons, saying he was stepping away to prioritise his mental health and spend more time with his family. The 36-year-old posted the decision on social media and said he had hoped to play one final season before changing course.

Johnson spent his entire professional career in Philadelphia and was a cornerstone of the franchise for nearly a decade and a half. He is a two-time first-team All-Pro and a six-time Pro Bowl selection. Johnson helped the Eagles reach three Super Bowls and won two of them. He played 171 regular-season starts at right tackle after being taken fourth overall in the 2013 draft.

In his statement Johnson acknowledged he had wanted to continue: “I deeply wanted to gut it out for one more year; to take the field with my brothers for one last season,” he wrote, before adding: “But after a lot of reflection, I’ve realized that my personal and family priorities in my life have changed.” He also thanked Philadelphia, Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie, the organization and his teammates.

Johnson said it was “critical that I focus on my mental health” and wrote that he owed it to 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. Reflecting on his career he added: “I have given it my all for 14 years, season after season putting my body to the max and tirelessly working my craft to not only live up to the legacy of the guys that came before me, but to set a new standard of success for the best franchise in all of sports,”

The announcement followed a recent series of absences: Johnson was a surprise inactive for the Eagles’ loss to the Los Angeles Rams two days earlier because of a personal matter and he had missed four practices during training camp for personal reasons. After his return to the team earlier this season he had acknowledged that this season would “probably” be his last.

Johnson retires as one of the Eagles’ most accomplished offensive linemen, having started 171 regular-season games at right tackle, been selected fourth overall in the 2013 draft and helped Philadelphia reach three Super Bowls, winning two of them.