ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith apologized Wednesday for his criticism of Lane Johnson’s decision to retire this week after suggesting the Philadelphia Eagles tackle retired because of the team’s struggles this season rather than “personal and family priorities” and “mental health” reasons cited by Johnson.
Smith claimed people “misinterpreted me as taking mental health lightly, I would never do that.”
Johnson said in his retirement message that he “deeply wanted to clear out for one more year; take the field with my brothers for one last season”, hence his decision not to retire before the season. But ultimately, he said his priorities changed after a period of “reflection.”
In the NFL and in Philadelphia, the response has been 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 much more successful team with him on the field than off it.
“I said it before: first-ballot Hall of Famer,” general manager Howie Roseman said of Johnson. “…A big part of our success. Just someone that you never took for granted every day. The practices, the games – I just felt totally honored that he was our good blocker as long as he was. And the relationship, just having him with us, and the relationship that we had all these years and through the things that we had to go through with our team and what was going on with all of us personally, we will miss him, and we are very grateful for him and his contribution to our success.”
The Eagles have had a lot of turnover on the offensive line this season.
Longtime offensive line coach and running game coordinator Jeff Stoutland left his position before the season as the team transitioned 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, questions are being asked about his future. Cam Jurgens was traded to the Baltimore Ravens on Tuesday alongside a 2027 seventh-round pick for a 2027 fifth-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick after struggling to transition from center to guard this season.
Philadelphia’s offensive line, once one of the best units in the NFL, has struggled over the past two seasons. Losing Johnson certainly won’t help, but he has the right to leave on his own terms, no matter how abrupt the decision may have seemed from the outside.
Gn sports
