Lane Johnson surprised everyone, including the Philadelphia Eagles, after suddenly announcing his retirement four weeks into the season.

Johnson called it a career after 14 seasons, all with the Eagles. In a post on Instagram, he explained that his “personal and family priorities have changed,” adding that he wants to focus on his mental health. Many, however, questioned the 36-year-old offensive tackle's decision, alleging that he quit on the Eagles amid their challenging start.

Joe Thomas came to Johnson's defense, saying he was proud of the two-time champion.

“People are saying Lane Johnson quit. I played his position. That's not what happened,” said Thomas, who was an eight-time All-Pro with the Cleveland Browns.

“Late in your career, the standard doesn't move. Your body does. Then life hands you stuff you can't block. Being honest with yourself is oftentimes the hardest thing to do when you realize you can't be that rock for your teammates anymore.”

Thomas stressed that playing on the offensive line is a thankless job, not to mention the heavy pressure that comes with it.

“Nobody notices you until you fail. The one snap that you lose, it's replayed on ESPN, all over the world, watched by hundreds of millions that same night that you get beat, and at Lane's level, the standard is perfection,” added the Hall of Famer.

People are saying @LaneJohnson65 quit. I played his position. That's not what happened.

Late in your career the standard doesn't move. Your body does. Then life hands you stuff you can't block.

Being honest with yourself is oftentimes the hardest thing to do when you realize… pic.twitter.com/jZ8li5p5Z0

— Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) October 7, 2026

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In 2017, Thomas revealed that he had been experiencing memory loss. A year later, he retired from the NFL.

Johnson, who has been open about his struggles with depression, admitted that it was an “incredibly difficult decision” to walk away.

“I owe it to my teammates, coaches, the organization, and the fans to have my head and heart 100% in the game, and right now, my heart is telling me that it's time to say goodbye to football,” wrote Johnson.

He finished his career as a five-time All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowler.