Skip to content

Lane Johnson is retiring. Let’s look back at some of his most memorable moments with the Eagles.

Here are the best Lane Johnson highlights — from the Philly Specials to his WrestleMania 40 cameo.

Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson had no shortage of memorable moments throughout his career.
Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson had no shortage of memorable moments throughout his career.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer

Lane Johnson announced his retirement after 14 seasons with the Eagles on Tuesday. The decorated right tackle made the announcement on social media just four games into the 2026-27 season.

Since being drafted by the Birds with the fourth overall pick in 2013, the 36-year-old has earned two Super Bowl rings and many accolades, including two first-team All-Pro honors, and six Pro Bowl nods.

As Johnson hangs up his cleats, it’s time to look back at some of his best moments — on and off the field — throughout his time with the Birds. Here are some of our favorites:

The Philly Specials

The holidays have always been a very special time for Eagles fans, especially since the creation of the Philly Specials, a musical group featuring former Eagles center Jason Kelce and offensive tackles Johnson and Jordan Mailata.

Since 2022, the trio has released three holiday albums — featuring artists like Philly queen diva Patti LaBelle, singer-songwriter Amos Lee, and indie-Americana artist Waxahatchee — while raising millions of dollars for charity in the process. They even launched “Operation Snowball,” which provided Christmas gifts to every public and charter school student and teacher in Philadelphia.

» READ MORE: Lane Johnson retires as the greatest Eagle of this generation | Mike Sielski

WrestleMania 40

Johnson put on quite a show at WrestleMania 40, after losing 15 pounds to get into “Mania shape.” Johnson, who wore a “Big Dom” DiSandro shirt, made an appearance alongside Jason Kelce, and the duo hopped the guardrail to help Rey Mysterio win his match before revealing themselves from under their Eagles-themed luchador masks.

Before their appearance, they stopped by the South Jersey wrestling school, the Monster Factory in Paulsboro. That’s where Luke DiSangro, a professional wrestler with autism, Tourette’s syndrome, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, helped Kelce and Johnson get Mania ready.

His toughness

In 2021, Johnson missed three games after suffering withdrawal symptoms from antidepressants. In an interview with Fox Sports, he revealed he was throwing up every day to the point of throwing up blood.

Along with anxiety and depression, he’s battled numerous injuries throughout his career. He missed 13 games in 2019 and 2020 after surgery to repair his deltoid ligament following an ankle injury.

In 2022, he suffered a torn tendon in his groin that kept him out of the Eagles’ final two regular-season games. That year, he also suffered his third diagnosed concussion since entering the NFL in 2013.

Despite any pain, Johnson took the field for the 2022 playoffs and led them to Super Bowl LVII — drawing on his mother’s strength for help.

» READ MORE: Social media reacts to Lane Johnson's retirement

Man of the year

In December 2023, the Eagles surprised Johnson with news that he was a Walter Payton Man of the Year finalist. The award honors philanthropy and community impact in addition to on-field success.

Johnson has become an advocate for people struggling with mental health since his three-game absence in 2021. He’s an ambassador for Kooth, an online provider of mental health support for youth in Philadelphia. But he also works with Gold Star families, the survivors of service members killed in action.

The underdog masks

Following the team’s 15-10 win over the Atlanta Falcons in the divisional round of the playoffs in January 2018, Johnson and defensive lineman Chris Long walked off the field wearing dog masks as a nod to the team’s status as the first No. 1 seed to be an underdog in its first postseason game.

Shortly after, the underdog masks quickly sold out on Amazon. Johnson capitalized on the trend, with Oldies.com, a Philadelphia-based business, stocking up on the hot item and putting 65% of proceeds toward the Fund for the School District of Philadelphia, the nonprofit arm of the schools. They also sold T-shirts that said “HOME DOGS GONNA EAT.”

Super Bowl LIX speech

Before Super Bowl LIX against the Kansas City Chiefs, Johnson revealed his revenge mentality. The night before the game, Johnson reminded the team of when the Eagles and Chiefs met in the Super Bowl two years earlier.

The Eagles finished with zero sacks, and Chiefs offensive linemen taunted them during their Super Bowl parade with celebratory shirts emphasizing the stat.

“They will get [expletive] up,” Johnson said. “And they’re going to get [expletive] up tomorrow. Just remember them [expletive] shirts they had on their parade a couple years ago. Keep that in mind as y’all keep [expletive] annihilating [Patrick Mahomes] tomorrow.”

TD catch against the Giants

Back in 2021, he recorded his first and only career touchdown catch in Week 16 against the New York Giants.

The play, titled “East Texas,” had Jalen Hurts fake the handoff to running back Boston Scott. Then, wide receiver DeVonta Smith drew two defensive backs toward the middle, and Johnson was alone in the end zone for the pass from his fellow east Texas native.

Honorable mentions:

Join The Conversation