Sophia
The Philadelphia Eagles capped off a storybook 2024 NFL season by hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, dominating the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX. Their remarkable 14-win campaign, a franchise record, was fueled by a dominant offense, featuring NFL Offensive Player of the Year Saquon Barkley and a formidable offensive line. At the heart of that line, defying Father Time, is veteran right tackle Lane Johnson, who, at 35 and entering his 13th season, claims he’s nearing his “peak.”
The Fountain of Youth: Johnson’s Unconventional Longevity
How does a player in his mid-30s continue to perform at an elite level in one of the NFL’s most physically demanding positions? Johnson attributes his sustained excellence to an unwavering commitment to training, focusing not just on strength but crucially on maintaining mobility and explosiveness.
“All I do, man, is work out for a living, I train,” Johnson told CBS Sports this week. “So for me, it’s about obviously being strong in the weight room but being mobile. I think the thing is with older guys you tend to see a loss in speed or explosiveness, and I think with some of the training and the athletes you see today, especially Olympians, guys that are doing well in their upper 30s.”
Johnson’s career trajectory is a testament to his dedication. A six-time Pro Bowler, he has earned first or second-team All-Pro honors in each of the past four seasons, mirroring the longevity of NFL legends like Jackie Slater, Bruce Matthews, Andrew Whitworth, and Jason Peters. Even Trent Williams, in his 16th season, serves as an inspiration.
“You had guys like the Jackie Slaters of the world that played 20 years, the Bruce Matthews. But we’ve had recent guys like (Andrew) Whitworth, Jason Peters, Trent Williams is in his 16th season. So there’s blueprints out there and outliers,” Johnson explained. “I know it’s not very common, but I’m around a bunch of uncommon people that are pretty intense individuals.”
Super Bowl LIX Redemption: A Dominant Performance Fueled by Past Pain
The Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX victory over the Chiefs was nothing short of extraordinary. Kansas City, aiming for an unprecedented three-peat and making their fifth Super Bowl appearance in six years, was utterly dismantled. Philadelphia exploded to a 24-0 halftime lead, extending it to a staggering 34-0 in the third quarter – the largest deficit of Patrick Mahomes’ career and the fifth-largest in Super Bowl history.
Despite the comfortable lead, Johnson admitted that the sting of their Super Bowl LVII loss to the Chiefs two years prior was a constant motivator.
“I think anytime you’re a part of a game like that, you go in and yeah you want it to end like it did,” Johnson reflected. “Really towards the end of the third quarter it felt like we had this thing won. But I just remember the flashbacks to the Super Bowl that we lost in Arizona and that feeling that I had really for those couple years, I think that feeling was just a reminder to finish this game out.”
“I was happy with the outcome but I learned a valuable lesson from the one that we lost just the couple of years before, man. The pain of that. So that motivated me to keep playing.”
Maintaining the Edge: The Road to a Repeat
With a dominant 18-3 record (including playoffs) and a Super Bowl trophy in hand, the challenge now shifts to maintaining that championship hunger. Johnson emphasizes the importance of upholding the team’s established standards, drawing parallels to perennial contenders like the Chiefs.
“When you look at great teams, like you look at Kansas City, it’s been the same for the past six years. They have great players, but I think the players and coaches both hold a standard that has to be met in practice,” Johnson stated. “For us, the big emphasis is ball security on offense, taking the ball away on defense and then just remembering what got us there. Our habits, how we practice, all that stuff doesn’t go away.”
He continued, “All those hours that you spend practicing your craft is what shows up on Sundays. As long as those don’t change and success doesn’t go to your head, I think we can repeat similar success. It is very difficult, you’re going to get everybody’s best. I learned that in 2018. It wasn’t very pretty there in the beginning of the season — we caught some steam there towards the end — but it was a lesson learned.”
Micah Parsons and the Cowboys Rivalry: A Week 1 Showdown Looms
The Eagles will kick off their 2025 season with a high-stakes divisional clash against the Dallas Cowboys, a game made even more intriguing by the ongoing contract saga surrounding Cowboys star Micah Parsons. Despite the uncertainty, Johnson fully expects to face Parsons on the field.
“I don’t know if he’s going to be playing or not or if the contract is going to be done. The longer I’ve been a part of the league and playing in the NFL, I know how contract disputes can go. Some negotiations are easier than others. He’ll get his money eventually, whether it’s there or somebody else, but he’s going to be a wealthy man soon,” Johnson remarked.
He added, “As far as I’m concerned I’m rolling on with him in mind expecting him to be out there. Other than that you try not to think about it. You see stuff in the headlines, and you know teams have different ways of handling business.” The Micah Parsons contract situation has been a hot topic, but Johnson’s focus remains on the game.
Beyond the Gridiron: SERE Training and Military Appreciation
Off the field, Johnson recently teamed up with USAA, the Official NFL Salute to Service Partner, and Team Whistle for an immersive experience in military SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape) training. This “I Could Do That” series provided Johnson with a crash course in navigation, fire making, and survival skills, including evading simulated enemies in hostile territory.
“USAA invited me to do a day of SERE training a few days before camp. It was really eye-opening as far as giving me a greater appreciation for our military and a day in their life,” Johnson shared. “I think what I appreciate about people in the military in general is the teamwork aspect, the ability to endure hardships and overcome hardships, and just fighting for the guy to the left and right of you when the margin for error is very small and the cost of an error is very high. I envy their bravery and their ability to serve and protect.”
As Lane Johnson continues to defy expectations on the field and engage in meaningful initiatives off it, his legacy as one of the NFL’s most enduring and impactful players only grows. The Eagles, with their ageless right tackle leading the charge, are poised for another thrilling season.
