NFL · Biography
Lane Johnson
Offensive tackle · No club · retired · OU 2009-2012
From backup QB to Eagles legend: a 14-year career ends on his terms
Lane Johnson's path to NFL greatness is one of the most unlikely in Sooner history. He grew up in Groveton, Texas, where he played quarterback and threw the shot put in high school. He spent 2008 at Kilgore College as a quarterback and tight end.
At Oklahoma (2009–2012) he kept changing positions. He started as a practice-squad quarterback, moved to tight end, then to defensive end. When injuries hit the offensive line in 2011, OL coach Bruce Kittle asked him to try tackle, and a star was born. By 2012 he was the Sooners' starting left tackle.
The Philadelphia Eagles drafted him fourth overall in 2013, and he spent all 14 of his NFL seasons in Philadelphia. He won two Super Bowls (LII and LIX), made six Pro Bowls, and earned two first-team and three second-team All-Pro selections as one of the best right tackles of his generation.
On October 6, 2026, Johnson announced his retirement, saying that "it is critical that I focus on my mental health." He has long been one of the NFL's most open voices on mental health. Sooner fans thank him for an incredible career.