When news broke that Lane Johnson was retiring from the NFL after 14 seasons as the Philadelphia Eagles prepare to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 5, one player fans wanted to hear from was his long-time teammate-turned-media fixture, Jason Kelce.
Stalwarts of Jeff Soutland's offensive line over two Super Bowl runs, Kelce and Johnson were teammates for a decade, forging a bond that went far beyond protecting players like Sam Bradford, Michael Vick, Carson Wentz, and Jalen Hurts, and that genuine friendship came across in spades as the former wished the latter a happy retirement.
“Lane Johnson is a special player, but more importantly a special person! I love him like a brother! For the past decade, Lane has been the best Right tackle in the NFL. His athleticism, technique, strength, and size, combined to make him a player few could get around. His pass set and movements looked more like an art than someone who punched people for a living. It was a pure joy to watch him play for all these years, but even more so, it was a pure joy to be his friend,” Kelce wrote.
Article Continues Below“Lane could make me laugh, cry, and smile all in a matter of hours. In the meeting room cracking jokes, in his car listening to country music lyrics, at the cafeteria talking about life, I cherish the memories, they give me so much joy. Congratulations on retirement, I loved ever second of watching you play, and am proud that I got to share the field with you Lane Johnson.”
How many players are left from the Eagles' first-ever Super Bowl win? That would be two, with Zach Ertz rejoining Jake Elliott as 2017 season alumni. While kickers can play for a very long time, it's safe to say that era of Eagles football, arguably the best ever, is officially in the rearview mirror.