Eagles' Lane Johnson Admits to ‘Weird' Claim

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Eagles' Lane Johnson Admits to 'Weird' Claim originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
At 35 years old and entering his 13th NFL season, Philadelphia Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson should be thinking about retirement. Instead, he's talking about reaching his peak.
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'Now, I feel like even though I'm 35, I feel better than I was when I started (or when I was) 29 or 30,' Johnson said after a recent OTA practice. 'And now, I feel like I'm getting close to maybe my peak. As weird as it is to say, but that's truly how I feel.'
It might sound absurd coming from most players—but Johnson isn't most players. The numbers speak for themselves. He's made first- or second-team All-Pro in each of the past four seasons and has six Pro Bowl selections to his name. He's one of only two position players—alongside Brandon Graham—to win two Super Bowls in an Eagles uniform.
Last season at 34, Johnson became the oldest Pro Bowl right tackle since Hall of Famer Jackie Slater in 1990. He now joins an exclusive club of just five offensive tackles in NFL history with two championships, two first-team All-Pro honors, and at least six Pro Bowls. The other four—Forrest Gregg, Jim Parker, Art Shell, and Rayfield Wright—are all in the Hall of Fame.
Despite his resume, Johnson felt snubbed in 2024 when the All-Pro nod went to Detroit's Penei Sewell. That slight still fuels him.
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'Yeah, with anything you read, you try to change,' Johnson said via NBC Sports Philadelphia. 'If somebody has a bad opinion of you, hopefully you can get out there in the field and maybe change their narrative on you. The only way how is to be more violent. For me that's what it's going to take.'
Johnson's confidence is well-earned. After undergoing multiple ankle surgeries and struggling through a painful 2021 season, he returned to form and then some. 'The toughest year was '21 and you can go back and watch it, you can clearly see on film, I was very hindered with my left foot,' he recalled. Now healthy, he believes he's back to dominating. 'Maybe they need to do a Combine for guys 10 years (in the league), see how we do compared to 10 years ago,' he joked.
Johnson credits much of his sustained success to Philadelphia and offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland. Looking back at the 2013 NFL Draft—when Kansas City, Jacksonville, and Miami picked ahead of Philadelphia—he admits the outcome could've been much different.
'I thought about what would have happened if I went to Miami,' he said. 'Kansas City wouldn't have been bad, but, you know, Jacksonville? But yeah, very fortunate to land here, and I just think the passion of the city and the intensity and how they focus so much on the sport, I think it allows, whatever pressure they put on you, I think it allows you to be the best player you can be.'
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Johnson has started 173 games including the postseason, ranking fifth in Eagles history. Only Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox have more among players who spent their entire careers in Philadelphia. If Johnson plays every game in 2025 and 2026, he'll surpass Kelce's 205-start mark—a record within reach for the veteran lineman.
With another Super Bowl in sight and Canton on the horizon, Johnson is focused on the here and now. The Eagles are built to contend, and Johnson believes he still has more to give. For a player long considered elite, the idea that he's just now peaking might sound outlandish.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 16, 2025, where it first appeared.