Lane Johnson Reveals Last Ride, Endorses Markel Bell

Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson reportedly contemplated retirement this offseason. Johnson was ultimately excited by the changes made by the Eagles this offseason and decided to return in 2026. Yet following a lengthy, excused absence from training camp, Johnson returned to practice with some unexpected news.

Following Saturday’s practice, Johnson revealed to the media that the upcoming season will likely be his last in the NFL. Johnson referenced the health of his parents, along with his kids getting older as reasons for decision. The 36-year-old is normally relaxed, yet serious at the podium. But he got a bit choked up when talking about the reasoning behind his decision.

“As you get older, as things change in your life, priorities,” Johnson said as he wiped his eyes. “Children get older, parents get older and so it just put things into perspective.”

“So it’s looking like this is potentially, probably my last year,” Johnson continued. “Just cause I am getting to that point of those priorities away from football are starting to merge. Not that I don’t enjoy, I love everything about this game and preparing for it. But that’s kinda where I’m at in my career.”

While it’s surprising to hear Johnson admit this publicly, this isn’t much of a surprise to those that have been paying attention to the team in recent years. Johnson missed eight games last season due to a foot injury and despite a projected earlier return, he was unable to do so.

Fast forward to the 2026 NFL Draft, where the Eagles prioritized finding Johnson’s successor. Philadelphia selected offensive tackle Markel Bell in the third round, who the Eagles hosted on a key 30-visit prior to the event. The 22-year-old rookie has already worked his way up Philadelphia’s depth chart and could be the team’s swing tackle in 2026.

Yet following Johnson’s announcement, Bell’s growth instantly becomes even more important. The Eagles will likely turn to Bell as Johnson’s replacement in 2027. Luckily for Philadelphia, Bell has already impressed several of his coaches and teammates, including the likely Hall of Famer that he will be tasked with replacing.

“He’s one of the best rookies I’ve been around,” Johnson said when asked about Bell. “As far as being in the playbook, you know, no complaining, I haven’t heard him complain one time. He’s always asking questions so just a really mature young man.”

“He handles stuff off the field well,” Johnson continued. “He’s just always asking questions. You can tell he was coached up well at Miami. I see a guy with that size and that ability and that wingspan and movement, he can have a lot of success in this business.”

While some people may brush these comments off as generic teammate talk, that’s not how Johnson operates. He’s very similar to Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, as the two won’t mince their words when talking to the media. Johnson spoke for a while about Bell and was nothing but complimentary — and that means something.

When Johnson was selected by the Eagles in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft, he had an All-Pro mentor to learn from in Jason Peters. Johnson has talked about how important Peters was to his development. Now Bell has landed Philadelphia and will have not one, but two, All-Pro offensive tackles to learn from in Johnson and Jordan Mailata.

Despite Johnson announcing that the upcoming season will be his last ride in Philadelphia, the future remains bright at right tackle. Johnson is ready to take Bell under his wing for his final flight with the Eagles. Now it’s up to Bell to cherish these moments learning from an eventual Hall of Famer — and he appears to be doing exactly that.