A familiar anchor of the Philadelphia Eagles' offensive line won't be playing on Oct. 11 against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
Right tackle Lane Johnson
, who was in his 14th NFL season, announced his retirement from the NFL on Oct. 6 after missing last week's game against the Los Angeles Rams. In a lengthy statement on Instagram, Johnson said he was retiring to focus on his mental health.
"I deeply wanted to gut it out for one more year; to take the field with my brothers for one last season," he said in the statement. "But after a lot of reflection, I've realized that my personal and family priorities have changed. Right now it is critical that I focus on my mental health. I owe it to my teammates, coaches,
the organization and the fans to have my head and heart 100 percent in the game. And right now my heart is telling me that it's time to say goodbye to football."
How will Eagles replace Lane Johnson?
Massive rookie Markel Bell (6 feet 9, 346 pounds) from the University of Miami started for Johnson last week and is the presumptive starter for the rest of the season. Bell was drafted in the third round.
Johnson, 36, said in August that it was likely his final season. He was named to the Pro Bowl six times and helped the Eagles win two Super Bowls. Philadelphia was 122-63-1 when Johnson started and 18-30 when he didn't play.
What Eagles said about Lane Johnson
"Lane excelled under multiple coaching staffs, maintaining an elite level of play throughout his entire career. His combination of talent, strength, athleticism, and intelligence made him a truly unique player in this league, and there is no doubt in my mind that one day he will be named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame," Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said in a statement.
"Lane Johnson is an All-Time Eagle and one of the best players to play his position in NFL history. Beyond his on-field accomplishments Lane has done a tremendous amount to give back to the community through his numerous charitable endeavors. The course he has shown using his own personal experiences to advocate for mental health awareness has undoubtedly saved lives."
Johnson has been candid about dealing with anxiety and depressions, which he said dated back to when he was a freshman at Oklahoma in 2008.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Why has Lane Johnson retired after 14 years with Philadelphia Eagles?
