From Jeff Stoutland to former teammates and NFL stars, tributes roll in upon Lane Johnson’s retirement
Johnson’s announcement on Tuesday sent social media into a tailspin. Here are some of the best reactions to the Pro Bowler calling it a career.
It’s an end of an era for Lane Johnson, who announced his retirement from the NFL after 14 seasons with the Eagles on Tuesday.
Johnson took to social media to announce his retirement, sending platforms like Instagram and X into a tailspin as reactions and comments poured in honoring Johnson’s career.
Here is what social media has to say about the six-time Pro-Bowl right tackle hanging up his cleats:
Brotherly Love
Johnson was beloved in Philly and among his teammates, whom he thanked in his post. But that love extended to players throughout the league, which was seen in the outpouring for Johnson in separate posts about his retirement and in his comments and replies as well.
Former teammate Avonte Maddox called Johnson “the best to ever do it,” while other former teammates like Cameron Latu and Sydney Brown and even standouts like Micah Parsons and Trent Williams were among the first players to proclaim Johnson’s praises on his post.
Former defensive end Chris Long and Johnson’s longtime coach, former Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, put out their own posts, while Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham posted to their Instagram stories; Cox shared a post from the NFL about the Eagles core four of Cox, Graham, Johnson, and Jason Kelce all being retired now, and Graham simply reposted the Eagles’ tribute post for Johnson.
Next stop: Canton?
Among the players in Johnson’s comments was Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby, who commented, “Living Legend. Canton Next.” Crosby’s comment mirrored much of the conversation surrounding Johnson’s career, which many think will lead him to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
‘One of their best’
Kyle Long, another former Pro Bowl offensive lineman who now is a studio analyst for The NFL Today on CBS, left a comment on Johnson’s Instagram post within the first 15 minutes of the announcement leaving a statistic about how since Johnson was drafted, the Eagles had a .659 winning percentage with Johnson and a .375 winning percentage without.
Other pundits and shows that were on air when the news broke shared their thoughts on Johnson’s retirement, too, with Pete Prisco calling him “one of [the Eagles’] best offensive linemen ever” on NFL on CBS.
