Why did Lane Johnson retire? Eagles legend says 'time to say goodbye to football'

Lane Johnson, the longtime Philadelphia Eagles right tackle, announced his retirement from the NFL on Tuesday, midway through his 14th season.

Why did Lane Johnson retire?

In an emotional social media post, Lane Johnson said he made the decision primarily to prioritize his mental health and spend more time with his family.

He wrote, “I deeply wanted to gut it out for one more year; to take the field with my brothers for one last season. But after a lot of reflection, I’ve realized that my personal and family priorities in my life have changed. Right now, it is critical that I focus on my mental health. I owe it to my teammates, coaches, the organization and the fans to have my head and heart 100 percent in the game. And right now my heart is telling me that it’s time to say goodbye to football.”

He added that what matters most now is "continuing to focus on my mental health and spending more time with my kids and family."

Johnson also thanked Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie and the entire organization for “taking a chance on a kid from small-town East Texas, and changing my life forever.”

"Philadelphia will always be home, and I will forever be an Eagle. Thank you for the love and the enduring support," he concluded.