ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith apologized Wednesday for his criticism of Lane Johnson’s decision to retire this week after suggesting that the Philadelphia Eagles’ tackle retired due to the team’s struggles this season rather than the “personal and family priorities” and “mental health” reasons Johnson cited.
Smith claimed that people “misconstrued me making light of mental health, I would never do that.”
Johnson said in his retirement post that he “deeply wanted to gut it out for one more year; to take the field with my brothers for one last season,” hence his decision not to retire before the season. Ultimately, however, he said that his priorities changed after a period of “reflection.”
Across both the NFL and within Philadelphia, the response was one of understanding regarding his decision and gratitude for his 14 years with the Eagles.
The 36-year-old is a future Hall of Famer and one of the best right tackles in NFL history. He was a two-time champion, six-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro, and during his career the Eagles were a far more successful team with him on the field than off.
“I’ve said it before: First-ballot Hall of Famer,” general manager Howie Roseman said of Johnson. “… Huge, big part of our success. Just someone you never took for granted every day. Practice, games—just felt totally honored that he was our right tackle for as long as he was. And the relationship, just having him around, and the relationship we had through all those years and through the things we had to go through with our team and what was going on with all of us personally, we’ll miss him, and just very appreciative of him and his contributions to our success.”
The Eagles have had quite the turnover at offensive line this season.
Longtime offensive-line coach and run-game coordinator Jeff Stoutland left his post before the season as the team shifted to a new running scheme under offensive coordinator Sean Mannion. Three-time Pro Bowler Landon Dickerson is on injured reserve with a knee injury, and after struggling with injuries last season, there are questions about his future. Cam Jurgens was traded to the Baltimore Ravens on Tuesday alongside a 2027 seventh-rounder for a 2027 fifth-round pick and a 2028 second-rounder after struggling with the move from center to guard this season.
Philly’s offensive line, once one of the best units in the NFL, has struggled the past two seasons. Losing Johnson most certainly won’t help, but he has the right to leave on his own terms, however abrupt the decision may have felt from the outside.