Philadelphia Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson retires mid-season, citing mental health (October 6)

Lane Johnson, the Philadelphia Eagles' two-time All-Pro right tackle, announced his retirement from the NFL on Tuesday, October 6, after 14 seasons, citing mental health concerns and family priorities. Johnson, 36, stepped away four games into the 2026 season. Johnson was taken by the Eagles with the fourth overall pick in the 2013 draft and spent his entire NFL career in Philadelphia. According to The Guardian, he is a six-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time first-team All-Pro who started 171 regular-season games at right tackle. Johnson won two Super Bowls with the Eagles and helped the team to three total Super Bowl appearances. In a statement posted to social media, Johnson said he had hoped to play one final season but decided to step away to prioritize 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. But after a lot of reflection, I've realized that my personal and family priorities in my life have changed," Johnson wrote. "Right now it is critical to focus on my mental health," he continued, adding that 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." The retirement announcement came after Johnson was a surprise inactive for the Eagles' loss to the Los Angeles Rams two days earlier due to a personal matter. Johnson had also missed four practices during training camp for personal reasons. After returning from those absences, Johnson acknowledged that this season would "probably" be his last, per The Guardian. Johnson's exit compounds a roster crisis unfolding in real time. The Eagles also traded Pro Bowl center Cam Jurgens to Baltimore in connection with the retirement, according to CBS Sports. The Eagles acquired two second-round picks in the deal, giving them two first-round and two second-round picks in 2028, per CBS Sports. The Eagles dominated the defending two-time champion Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl two seasons ago, but have stumbled in 2026. Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley both regressed in the 2026 season, per CBS Sports analysis. The Eagles were favored in Week 3 against Chicago, where the Bears started 38-year-old Case Keenum, making his first start in three years. D'Marco Jackson laid out Hurts on a sideline hit in that game; the play was rightfully penalized for unnecessary roughness. DeVonta Smith was the only Eagles teammate who appeared visibly upset by the hit, per CBS Sports. The Eagles have 13 games remaining in the 2026 season. The last major coaching exodus came when Doug Pederson was fired as head coach three years after winning the Super Bowl, following a 4-11-1 season in which the Eagles were accused of tanking. The team won the Super Bowl four years after Pederson's firing.