Philadelphia Eagles veteran Lane Johnson has confirmed he plans to return for his 14th NFL season, putting to rest questions about his future after an injury-shortened 2025 campaign. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane was first to report the news on Thursday.
Johnson, 35, was sidelined for the final stretch of the regular season — along with Philadelphia’s wild-card playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers — due to a Lisfranc foot injury. He also battled an ankle issue suffered during a Monday night win over the Green Bay Packers and exited a Week 3 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams with a stinger. The foot injury occurred in Week 11 during a Sunday night victory over the Detroit Lions.
There had been speculation that the veteran tackle might walk away rather than finish his career on that note. Instead, he signaled his return in a social media photo of himself charging out of the tunnel — a clear message he isn’t done yet.
When healthy, Johnson remains among the league’s elite. Drafted fourth overall in 2013, he has built a résumé that includes two Super Bowl titles, multiple first-team All-Pro honors, and six Pro Bowl selections, most recently in 2024. His impact on winning is unmistakable: Philadelphia went 8-2 in games he played last season compared to 3-5 without him. General manager Howie Roseman praised Johnson earlier this year, noting, “Obviously, you’re talking about a Hall of Fame player who’s been a huge, huge part of any of our success that we’ve had, and when you watch him play, he’s still playing at an elite level.”
The announcement of Johnson’s return arrives during a period of significant change for the Eagles’ offense. Longtime offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland departed this offseason, with former Minnesota Vikings assistant Chris Kuper stepping in. The team also replaced offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo with 33-year-old Sean Mannion, formerly the quarterbacks coach of the Green Bay Packers. Mannion is expected to introduce a system influenced by the approaches of Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay, signaling a philosophical shift under head coach Nick Sirianni.
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