Lane Johnson Retires and the Eagles Face a New Reality

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1:00Welcome Eagles fans to the No Huttle Show. Philadelphia Eagles podcast presented by PennLive and NJ.com. I'm John McGonigal. We got Caden Steele here. Tuesday, early evening, shortly after the announcement that Lane Johnson, Philadelphia Eagles legend, right tackle. Especially future Hall of Famer should be in my eyes. The eyes of many have, has retired. Four games into the season. Lane Johnson in his 14th season. He said back in August, it was probably going to be his final one with the Eagles. He is retiring in season. His career after winning two Super Bowls, six Pro Bowls, five All Pro Honors. Is over. We are here to discuss that. To discuss Lane Johnson's career. To discuss where the Eagles go from here. Caden, what was your initial reaction to Lane Johnson's surprise retirement here on Tuesday night?

2:03Yes. The first time we've had a podcast get stumped. The first experience we recorded something else earlier, which is irrelevant now because we were talking about Lane Johnson. What he was going to come back. Yeah, and he's not going to come back now. My first reaction and we'll get more into it is these are tough words to hear. The season's over. I mean, like I don't think that's like too big of a overreaction. Things weren't already going well with even Lane Johnson in the lineup. I know he was in there against the Rams, but even what if you were to return, I just didn't have a great feeling about the scene. The offense has been really bad now. You lose one of your best players in franchise history from an emotional perspective. One, I think that's going to be hard to overcome. There's a lot of guys in that locker room that care about Lane Johnson, that love Lane Johnson. And they enjoyed playing with him now all of a sudden that he's not going to be there. Like to me, that's a really tough adjustment and transition. You know, quarter through this year to make and I think the emotional perspective is going to be really hard to overcome. Maybe helps them rally.

3:09And maybe they do rally around this and they stay motivated and they keep that belief. But then from a talent perspective. I mean, this offense, a line now is going to have to probably start Mark Elbow, the rookie or if they don't trust Mark Elbow, it would be Fred Johnson. But I imagine it'll be Mark Elbow and it just takes a dramatic drop off in play in your interior. Off into lines already not playing well. The injuries we talked about earlier, but we weren't able to publish that part or just pulling up. And now you don't have Lane Johnson. I mean, this thing is a mess. And so I guess my first thought was the season over. My second thought was, wow, you don't usually see this from a player walking away for weeks into the season. Obviously Lane Johnson had his reasons and we're wishing him the best, but it's a monumental moment for the Eagles franchise to lose a player of his caliber. Amy, he's an incredible player. I mean, that's I guess that's the second thought is just they are losing an all time great player. And that's really going to be tough to overcome. And he had a great career and you know, we wish him nothing but the best.

4:14Absolutely wish him nothing but the best. I mean, look, like let's first address kind of how we got here. Lane Johnson reportedly considered retiring in the off season. He comes back. He reports for training camp for OTAs for training camp for everything in August. Takes a four day excused absence away from camp to you know, contemplate his future. He came back and said in a press conference at the Jefferson Health Training Complex. We were both there. Everyone was gathered and he said this is probably my last season as I filled off the Eagle in the last will probably my last year playing football. 36 years old. You know, again, reportedly contemplated retirement in the off season and he said that this was going to be it. And the reasons why he cited at the time it was family. It was you know, you're you know, he mentioned you don't get back the time that you have with your kids.

5:16You know, his parents are getting older his mom is well known is dealing with Hodgkins lymphoma. You know, over the years Lane Johnson also is someone who has been very open about his mental health over the years. You know, he missed a few games back in 2021 while dealing with anxiety. And that is something that he has been always open and honest about. And that's to give him a lot of credit for because that's that's not an easy thing to do for anyone, especially for a football player for someone who is as you know in high standing and kind of as visible. You know, as he is and you know in his announcement on Tuesday night announcing his retirement. He mentioned that he said that he deeply wanted to gut it out for one more year to take the field with his brothers for one last season. But after a lot of reflection, he had to realize that his personal and family priorities and his life have changed. And that it's critical that he focused on his mental health.

6:17First and foremost, hope everything is all right there and everything pans out find there and wishing him nothing nothing but the best there. From a player like a player standpoint, yes, he was 36 years old. He was still one of the best right tackles in football, even through the three weeks that he played like his his past block win rate. If you if you're into those analytics, ranked at the top among his position, you know, through three weeks. You know, he was still playing at a high level. And then you know, the Rams come into town on Sunday and Kaden were there at the Lincoln Financial Field Press Box a couple hours before the 1 p.m. kickoff. And the Eagles announced that Lane Johnson was questionable for the game due to personal reasons. Shortly after that, he was ruled in active. He was asked Nick Sireon after the game on Sunday and he was asked as well during his Monday press conference about Lane Johnson status. He said he wasn't going to get into it. You know, he had no update.

7:18Jordan Milotto also said he wasn't going to address that after the game. Cam Jurgen said, he said something similar and basically said we miss him. So this is obviously something that, you know, the Eagles found out Sunday morning that he wasn't going to play against the Rams. Now everyone finds out on Tuesday night that he is retiring from the Eagles retiring from the NFL and, you know, they have to move forward now. But I think it's worth reflecting on his career that he is one of only a few players to win two Super Bowls with this franchise draft back in 2013 out of Oklahoma first round pick. You know, I think I saw that basically that he let up 10 sacks his rookie year and then only 10 sacks from that point on. If that's accurate, it feels accurate because he's been that good. He has been that unbelievable of a player, Kate and I mean, just I don't know if you want to speak more to just the level of player that the Eagles are losing here with Lane Johnson's retirement.

8:18Yeah, I mean, it's one of the reasons I'm saying that the season is cooked over whatever, whatever you want to call it. I mean, the expectations were I still think relatively high for this team going into the year. Maybe with this new scheme, they could win a Super Bowl like they would revitalize the offense. Now that you have Lane Johnson, all those expectations are out the window. To me, this is a full on transition year one because this team isn't good without Lane Johnson. They haven't been there 15 and 28 believe since 2026. I mean, I think it's a good year story, Johnny, just hope that was included in there. So they're not a good team without Lane Johnson. We saw that last year when he suffered the list, Frank injury against Detroit. That's really when the season started to unravel. There were other things as well. But as soon as they lost Lane Johnson last year, after they had that, you know, tough, gritty win over the lines, you thought, ah, maybe the team will figure it out again and get back to the Super Bowl completely fell apart for the most part. And again, the common theme is there's no Lane Johnson and we've seen it in other stretches of play without Lane Johnson.

9:24This team does not play that well and they don't win games already. Oh, and won this year without Lane Johnson. They're probably going to drop more games without Lane Johnson. I mean, he's just an incredible player and, you know, no matter circumstances and obviously the Eagles have been really good over the last five years. But no matter the circumstances, you always felt good about like a few things about the Eagles. And one of them was Lane Johnson was going to play at an elite level on the right side of the off the line. You were always going to have a high floor as an offensive line because you had a Hall of Fame level player. And even if Marquette Bill is good and I think he might be eventually, I'm not sure about the season, there is no replacing a player of that caliber. I mean, there's an O.A. if you come along like him and always happens every 10, 15 years. He's truly like a generational level player. And also thinking back to 2013, how lucky the Eagles were to get Lane Johnson in that draft. Eric Fisher goes first to Kansas City. Obviously Eric Fisher had a solid career.

10:24It wasn't like a complete waste of the pick. He was an OK serviceable, no, maybe above service well times tackle. And then before the Eagles picked at three, Miami took the on Jordan. I remember being a kid and into the draft. Everybody was talking about how Chip Kelly wanted the on Jordan. The on Jordan, he had the, you know, has eyes on him. That was going to be the price pick and Dolphin snagged him right before the Eagles. They could have ended up with the on Jordan Eric Fisher and never had a player of this caliber. So they were lucky to land them and obviously he is one of the best players to ever wear the Eagles uniform. No doubt to me, he's the first ballot Hall of Famer. Does he get that honor? We'll see. We'll see if people knock him. It should have been more first team all pros. Weirdly, he's like one of the best players of my lifetime. But I feel like he's still underrated in some aspects. But Lane Johnson is an incredible player and it's going to be very, very difficult to replace them.

11:24It's a, there's going to be a mixed emotions about his retirement. You cannot fault the guy for retiring because he wants to be around his family, especially when his parents have dealt with health issues. I mean, I can't fault him for that. And it's good to see him go out on the note where he feels comfortable. He feels like he's doing the best thing for himself. So you got to, you know, commend him for that. But at the same time, it is probably a little bit of a gut punch to lose a player like that. Absolutely. And we've seen, and just from a playing standpoint, we've seen guys. And it's not just in football. It's in all sports, you know, kind of stick around too long and their play suffers. And that just was, that's not the case with Lane Johnson, right? Every time he was on the field, he was giving 100% and his 100% and his 100% was better than 99% of the right tackles in the NFL. But there's also the, the reality that, you know, in terms of, you know, committing yourself to playing a game like football and to be playing a position like right tackle where you're constantly getting hit.

12:30You know, your body is taking shots. And at 36 years old, those shots, I'm sure feel a lot worse than they did 10 years prior that if you're not 100% in it and Lane has recognized this in the past and I acknowledge this like. And even in his statement said that, you know, it's like he has to have, you know, basically for his teammates, first coaches, the organization, the fans, he owes it to them to have his head and his heart. 100% in the game, that's how you have to play football and that's how you have to approach things and credit to him for recognizing that he didn't have that at that at this moment. It's one of those where if you're considering contemplating retirement, people, you know, there's an old adage that basically like you're already retired at that point. And I feel like I fully buy into that because like if Lane Johnson decided to, you know, put on the shoulder pads and the helmet this year and he went into this, you know, you're looking to looking to finish this year and ultimately he clearly had a moment of clarity that he couldn't that he couldn't give that 100% and I give him a lot of credit for stepping away because some guys wouldn't do that.

13:45He goes from a football sense just in a vulnerable position because he was playing at a really high level and the Eagles offense was still not playing at a high level even through those, you know, first three games without him. And it's an offensive line that is now without Lane Johnson and landed Dickerson and Cam Jurgens who as a concussion, it might not play this Sunday. And I think that's a big thing at a situation that in the very short term in the hey, they're playing the Jags in week five and London that the offensive line could be Jordan Milato at left tackle Willie Lampkin, a second year undrafted player at left guard Drew Kendall, a second year, fifth round pick at center. Tyler Steen at right guard and then Mark L Bell of rookie third rounder at right tackle and so in the short term in the immediate, this is a major loss for the Eagles and then even looking long term, you know, Mark L Bell was drafted out of Miami as a project as a hopeful replacement for Lane Johnson, but there's no guarantee that he's ultimately going to be that player.

14:51You know, we saw some nice things in the run game from him on Sunday against the Rams saw him struggle in past protection at time. So this season now was a runway for the Eagles to find out what they have in Mark L Bell and if they ultimately have to spend a first round pick on another tackle. Yeah, and I'm glad he brought up that point because there's no guarantee that Mark L Bell fills issues. I mean, I'm trying to think and I don't have the statistics in front of me. But like I don't know how many third round offensive tackles, I guarantee you there's more third round offensive tackles that turn into like swing tackles and backups or like low level that best average starters versus like franchise level starters. I mean, the odds of Mark L Bell becoming an elite or above average to very good right tackle probably against him to some level, but he does have the physical tools. I mean, can't teach six nine in his movement skills, like even one of the run plays against the Rams, where he gets to the second level and he absolutely decleats Nate Lamman and like it's moments like that.

15:54You saw in the first game where you think, yes, this is possible, but now instead of like letting him develop for a year almost in a way. This is I mean, it's not better for the Eagles is no way you can frame that Lane Johnson retiring is better for the Eagles, but they can get more clarity now on whether Mark L Bell is the guy. Because if Lane finished out the year and played well and was at all pro level, then Mark Kellen ever saw the field, then you had to make a decision next off season about whether the draft attacker or go with Mark L Bell. I think it would have been a little more difficult. Now you're going to get an entire season, probably of Mark L Bell. And I think that's why you roll with Mark L Bell. You don't go with Fred Johnson, even if Fred Johnson's healthy because you know what Fred Johnson is. You need to figure out if this guy you spent an early third round pick on is your future right tackle. I think from that sense from a clarity perspective, this is, you know, could help the Eagles make a decision on Mark L Bell. And this is kind of like a trial and error process now. He's going to have to play well. I think you're going to see a lot more good than bad. You're going to see a lot of development through the course of the year.

16:54The big thing for him, the run blocking, I think is there like the flashes are there, the past protection. I think what need to be more consistent. I think he struggled a little bit in past protection against the Rams. And some of it's like leverage stuff. I mean, six to nine. He's not going to bend that well. He's a humongous guy. So they're going to have to figure out what Mark L Bell is. But you're right, John, even if Mark L this is huge long term implications because even Mark L Bell flashes and you see some potential. But let's say the year does bottom out and they have a top 10 pick. I mean, Trevor, Gooseby from taxes, like there's going to be different guys at the top of that draft at tackle potential Jordan, Jordan, Seaton from LSU, like there might be guys within the Eagles range of this year. Truly does follow apart where it's like, okay, Mark L Bell has potential, but this guy is like a potential elite elite prospect. So this changes the calculus of everything. And you mentioned just the offensive line in general. I think of think of how far it's changed since 2024 2024 Lane Johnson, an elite player can cam dirgans.

18:02Looking like he's ascending into like one of the best centers of football, potentially an elite player got a massive contract that off season after the Super Bowl, Lenin Dickerson, an elite player. All three of those guys might not be on the 2027 Eagles offensive line. Like this is major for this year. But this is this is why I'm saying in a true sense, this is a transition year. I would lower the expectations for what's going to happen this year. And I don't know how that fits into the grand scheme of things with what they decide with Nick Serioni, a things go poorly or what they decide with you on hearts. But I think this is a true, true, like take a step back. This Eagle team might have a rough go for it. And you add Lane Johnson's retirement on top of a laundry list of injuries, which like you mentioned, Kate, and we we spend about a half hour, 40 minutes talking about just earlier today in a podcast that won't get released because it is out of date with how much we talked about the uncertainty around Lane Johnson's

19:05absence. But let's let's look at it, right? Devante Smith, Dallas, Goddard, Sequan, Barkley, Tank, Bigsby, Cam, Jergens, Zach, Boan, Quingyan Mitchell, Jonathan Grinard, Marcus, Epps, Hollywood, Brown, Fred, Johnson, Lenin Dickerson, Eli Stowers. Some of those guys, a few of those guys might be back, you know, on as early as Sunday for the game against the Jaguars, but when you consider, you know, how much talent is in that group that I just mentioned some more than others. And then you combine it with the fact that you're now losing arguably the best for a tackle of all time. Like one of the best at his position, sure, one of the best Eagles of all time, Jeffrey Lurie, you know, had a statement after Lane Johnson's announcement and calling him in all time, Eagle. I mean, he is one of the best players in franchise history. So you can buy it in the short term in the now in the 2026 season for the rest of the way.

20:07You lose a player of that caliber on top of all these guys being hurt on top of the offense already looking, you know, pretty rough to begin with against the commanders against the Titans against the Bears. It's just not a not a really good place to be. And how he rose, man, this is a, this is just another thing for him to deal with ultimately, you know, in the long term, like looking ahead. And that's why I tend to agree with you that, you know, the Eagles could still win the NFC East this year, potentially. But at the same time, like, you know, this is a, this is a team that is looking like it's going to be in transition. I mean, it certainly will be just from a player personnel standpoint in terms of losing Lane in terms of, you know, the guy, the guys on this roster getting older. I mean, even Jordan, my lot is contract run through what 2028. So this is an offensive line that carried this team to so much success in recent years.

21:09Success that I hope Eagles fans did not take for granted Lane Johnson a career that I hope and I know that most Eagles fans did not take for granted. Because this offensive line is now in transition and this team in this offense is in transition moving forward. Johnny, before I tell you some more of my crazier thoughts as I think about what this means, I do want to tell people today about our about our sponsors. Just real quick before we wrap up today, our sponsors are, you know, for this episode and every episode that we do here at the No Shuttle Huttle Show is brought to you by Penn Cotec. Now, they have two convening campuses located in Blackwood, New Jersey and in Bristol, Pennsylvania, Penn Cotec has provided comprehensive hands-on career training for more than 50 years. You know, they got programs in HVAC electrical plumbing, automotive technology and more. They cater instructors and pre-oproestment assistance. Penn Cotec can give you the skills and confidence for a brighter future. Financial aid is available to those who qualify. Learn more and take the first step by going to PennCotec.edu.

22:11That was a very positive message, very positive. And the Eagles, you know, they better have, you know, a good career, you know, hands-on coach and Chris Cooper because he's going to have to get a lot out of Mark L. Bound, a lot of this offensive line. And I, so I, again, I feel like I'm jumping the gun a little bit. But it's just like when I really think about this retirement and what it means. And maybe I'm proven wrong and everything that I write in the next 24 hours and everything that I react to and I say ends up being wrong. But my, just my thoughts keep going back to what does this mean for jail and hurts because I just can't imagine in a new scheme are you with like significant protection problems. We saw how the Rams bolts the heck out of the Eagles. They had no answers. And now that they're not going to have Lane Johnson back at all this season. I mean, jail hurts has played poorly for two consecutive weeks. And what we saw early in the year felt very hopeful. I'm not sure if these offensive are going to get much better. And if it doesn't in the quarterback, you know, if jail hurts doesn't play well for the rest of the year.

23:19What does that mean for jail and hurts? And I think that's kind of tied into Lane Johnson because I'm not, I just don't think he's going to play well with the solfants aligned this year. I'm starting to get a bad feeling. I know you had the highest career could be our Johnny. I might have won that one. I have a, and what does that mean for Nick Seriani and what is, what is, you know, Lane Johnson, you know, being out, you know, retiring now. What does that mean for Camdurgens and Lane and Dickerson? They know he's done and this is a transition. They don't have, are they willing to just eat the money on those contracts, even though it's a lot. What does that mean for everyone involved with this team? Are the Eagles going to just completely blow this up if it goes south? Could be wrong. This team could come out here and Marquette Bell is great. And they just, it's just the rest of peace spells disaster. And you could tell when something kind of stinks. And I think this stinks. You think this stinks Eagles fans will be thinking, man, Lane Johnson retiring, that stinks because they don't get to watch in play football anymore. Again, totally understand why he would retire for the reasons that he laid out. Respect and understand that.

24:25The fans now, though, for the rest of the year, have to watch an offensive line without, and for not only the rest of the year, but for the rest of the time, watch an offensive line without 65 out there, manning the right tackle position, which is a tough place to be because he was that good because for 13 plus seasons, he was like the beacon of what a right tackle should be in the NFL. Like we mentioned at the top five all pro honors should have been more if, if, you know, voters, if, you know, everyone putting that together, put more stock and more. The leap into what the right tackle position means because everyone's been, you know, there was a time where everyone was so enamored with the left tackle position. Like Lane should have more accolades in his career, but he goes out still with a pretty damn good resume. The statue, the trophy cabinet with with two Lamberti trophies shows it. I mean, he was a pillar. He was a stalwart. He was a real like more than a key cog, like a true like cornerstone player for this franchise for a very, very, very long time.

25:36And now the Eagles have to move forward without him. We will find out how they ultimately move forward without him starting on Sunday against the Jags in London at Tottenham Stadium. We will hear from Nick Seriani on Wednesday afternoon. We will be in the locker room, speaking to players. You know, I know Jordan Milata was on WIP earlier and actually, you know, was talking about how he was shocked by. Lane Johnson's decision or, you know, his ultimate retirement. He's still processing it. I'm sure it'll be a locker room that is still processing the absence of number 65 in there. But we will be speaking to coaches, players, everything throughout the week and trying to bring you as much perspective and context and information as we possibly can. And on Lane Johnson's retirement, the fallout, the aftermath from it and where this team goes from here. Thank you for tuning into this kind of emergency episode of the No Huttleshow Philadelphia Eagles podcast. We'll be back with much more as we move forward.

26:46And as the Eagles move forward without Lane Johnson for Johnny McGonigal, Kaden Steele, have a go in Eagles fans. Nicky Glazer, this stunning tour. The thoughts of death I don't like to dwell on them for longer than like 10 or 15 hours a day, so... November 19th, Yamabah Theater. No wonder women rushed to have kids were being trained for it since we were kids. They're like, here's a baby doll. Here's an easy-bake oven. I got one of those. I stuck my head in it. I was like, I want out of this narrative. I'm gonna get tickets on sale now at Yamabah Theater.com. Don't miss Nicky Glazer. Yamabah Theater.