Rest easy, Eagles fans: Lane Johnson will be back in 2026.
The six-time Pro Bowl right tackle told the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane on Thursday that he intends to play a 14th NFL season in 2026.
A 13-year veteran and two-time All-Pro, Johnson has manned the right side of Philadelphia's line annually since the Eagles spent the fourth overall pick of the 2013 draft on him. He's been incredibly consistent and risen to elite status over the course of his career, which will likely land him in Canton sometime next decade.
Those who undervalue offensive line play received a harsh reminder of its importance in 2025, a season in which Johnson missed eight games, including the Eagles' playoff loss to San Francisco in the Wild Card Round. Without the rock-solid right tackle in the lineup, Philadelphia's offense struggled significantly, failing to run the ball consistently despite still featuring 2024 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year Saquon Barkley.
During Johnson's absence -- a stretch that began after Week 11 -- the Eagles lost five of their final eight games. Plenty of problems were to blame, but once Johnson exited, it was painfully obvious how important he was to the offensive operation.
As he approaches his 36th birthday in May, Johnson won't eye retirement just yet. He'll return to handle some unfinished business -- which will include leading an offensive line that will venture into a new season without longtime OL coach Jeff Stoutland -- and solidify the right side of what became a leaky line in his absence.
