Relationships matter in football. Quarterbacks and wide receivers, head coaches and coordinators, running backs and offensive linemen. But few football relationships are as deep as those between veteran offensive linemen who are (or were) long-time teammates.
Jason Kelce hasn't played with Lane Johnson in three years – Kelce retired after the 2023 season – but he still had plenty of kind words to say about his former teammate on Sunday, Oct. 11.
The former Philadelphia Eagles center was on the call for the Week 5 NFL London game, which was Philadelphia's first game since Johnson's sudden retirement announcement on Tuesday, Oct. 6. During the broadcast, Kelce detailed how he and Johnson supported each other through the ups-and-downs of their careers.
"We went through a lot of things together throughout our careers," Kelce said. "He was there for me in parts of my career – the lows of it, times where fans were clamoring for me to get traded. He believed in me. He was my teammate. He became someone I trusted because he was there when others weren't."
Johnson and Kelce shared the field for 11 seasons – from 2013 through 2023 – before Kelce's retirement before the 2024 season.
Kelce noted the accomplishments he and Johnson shared in their playing days, specifically the Super Bowl 52 win and the loss in Super Bowl 57. He also mentioned the life milestones the two shared during that time like marriage and the births of their respective children.
"We lived an entire era of our lives next to each other – one locker stall away, listening to Meek Mill. It was an incredible time. He was an incredible teammate, incredible player," Kelce said.
"Lane Johnson means a whole heck of a lot to me, means a lot to this Eagles organization and this fanbase. Couldn't be prouder of his career and what he left out there and who he was as a player and person."
Dave Pasch, the play-by-play announcer for the game, continued the conversation by bringing up the pre-game meeting the broadcast team had with Jaguars pass-rusher Josh Hines-Allen. According to Pasch, Hines-Allen told the crew that he had been looking forward to playing against Johnson in the Week 5 game, and the two-time Pro Bowl veteran asked Kelce to "pass along his regards" to Johnson.
Kelce said the meeting with Hines-Allen was proof of how highly regarded Johnson was in the NFL. He also said it was further evidence that the right tackle's sudden retirement "took the whole league by surprise."
Prior to retiring on Oct. 6, Johnson played 13 full seasons – plus three games this year – entirely spent with the Eagles. The veteran right tackle earned six Pro Bowl nods in his career, in addition to two years with first-team All-Pro honors and won two Super Bowl titles with Philadelphia.
Johnson was one of just two Eagles players in 2026 that were on both Super Bowl-winning teams in 2017 and 2024. Kicker Jake Elliott is the sole active player from both championship teams still with Philadelphia.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jason Kelce says former teammate helped 'in low times' after sudden retirement
