Understanding just how remarkable Lane Johnson's career has been

Understanding just how remarkable Lane Johnson’s career has been originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

It’s kind of crazy to think that a six-time Pro Bowler could spend most of his career in obscurity. Maybe not exactly obscurity, but Lane Johnson has definitely played his career in the shadow of a couple more famous teammates.

When you play on the same offensive line as two slam-dunk Hall of Famers – 11 years with Jason Kelce, eight years with Jason Peters – you can be overlooked a little bit.

And Lane Johnson has.

But while the world was watching Kelce become one of the greatest centers ever and Peters become one of the greatest left tackles ever, Johnson has put together a Hall of Fame resume of his own.

On Sunday, Johnson will become only the third offensive tackle in NFL history to make six Pro Bowls and two 1st-team All-Pros and start in three Super Bowls. The others are Ron Yary, who played right tackle for the Vikings from 1968 through 1982, and Rayfield Wright, right tackle with the Cowboys from 1967 through 1979.

Both are Hall of Famers. Both played at least four decades ago. Nobody else has done what Johnson has done. And he’s showing no sign of letting up.

There aren’t a lot of common denominators in the Eagles’ three Super Bowl runs since 2017. Howie Roseman is one. Johnson’s coach, Jeff Stoutland, is another. Brandon Graham and Jake Elliott as well.

Johnson? He’s been a 1st- or 2nd-team All-Pro each Super Bowl season.

“Three Super Bowls, yeah, it’s crazy,” Johnson said in the locker room this week. “When you’re a part of one of them, you realize how crazy it is just getting there once. It takes a lot of factors working together. People staying healthy, the team operating at a high level, everybody on the same page at the same time.

“It takes a lot just to make it to one. To make it to three? That’s special.”

Johnson may not be the multi-media personality that Jason Kelce became during his 13-year career and he hasn’t played nearly as long as Peters. But as the Eagles prepare for Super Bowl LIX against the Chiefs in New Orleans, it’s a good time to take stock of what a remarkable career Johnson has had.

Not only is he the only position player left on the active roster from the 2017 Super Bowl championship team — Graham could join him — next Sunday he’ll become only the 13th offensive tackle in NFL history to start in three Super Bowls for the same team. And the first in the NFC since Cowboys teammates Mark Tuinei and Bartram’s Erik Williams in 1992, 1993 and 1995.

Because he’s been overshadowed for so long by Peters and more recently Kelce, Johnson isn’t perceived the same way as some other all-time greats.

But he is one. Without question.

Johnson has quietly been stacking year after year of elite right tackle play and snuck into that all-time category while everybody was paying attention to Peters and Kelce. Another Super Bowl championship would place Johnson squarely in the Hall of Fame conversation. He may already be there.

Don’t believe it?

As of now, Johnson is one of only three offensive tackles in NFL history to make six Pro Bowls and reach three Super Bowls. The others are Hall of Famers Ron Yary of the Vikings and Rayfield Wright of the Cowboys, who both spent most of their careers in the 1970s.

He’s one of only eight right tackles to make six Pro Bowls and 1st-team All-Pro twice. And the only one not in the Hall of Fame. (Yet.)

The Super Bowl will be Johnson’s 15th career postseason start, and only 12 tackles have started more.

Johnson’s analytics are insane. According to ProFootballFocus, he’s played 3,031 regular-season pass-block snaps since 2019 and allowed five sacks and 10 quarterback hits. That’s a sack about every 600 snaps and a QB hit about every 300 snaps against the best edge runners in the world.

And he’s played 514 postseason pass block snaps since the only playoff sack he ever allowed, Cam Jordan’s 11-yarder in New Orleans in 2013.

Since Johnson’s rookie year in 2013, the Eagles have reached the postseason eight of 12 times and the Super Bowl three times. During those 12 seasons, the Eagles are the 2nd-highest-scoring team in the NFL behind the Chiefs at 25.6 points per game – under three head coaches – and only the Chiefs (11 times) have reached the postseason more.

Other than the late 1940s, when they reached three straight NFL Championship Games and won two, this is the richest period in Eagles history. And Johnson has been a beast throughout.

“Very fortunate,” Johnson said. “You know, when I think of players, I think of people like Joe Thomas that would have loved to have the opportunity to play and win and didn’t get the chance to.”

Thomas spent his entire 11-year Hall of Fame career playing left tackle for the Browns. They had one winning season while he was in Cleveland, never reached the postseason and averaged 4.4 wins per season.

In Johnson’s career, the Eagles have had nine winning seasons, reached the postseason eight times and averaged 9.8 wins per year.

Johnson has played in nine postseason wins as an Eagle, one fewer than Brian Dawkins, Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas.

“It’s something obviously that we hope for every year, then you have to go out there and win the game,” he said. “So we’re fortunate where we’re at. And I think with these big games, we try not to change too much, lean on what got us here. For us, try not to get too emotional, just focus on our plan of attack and let the chips fall where they may.”

When the Eagles drafted Johnson with the fourth pick in 2013, they were coming off a 4-12 season, hadn’t won a playoff game in five years, had reached one Super Bowl in 47 years and hadn’t won a championship in 53 years.

Since then, they’ve won nine playoff games and five NFC East titles, averaged nearly 10 wins per season, made the postseason all but four years and reached three Super Bowls.

Three head coaches, 11 quarterbacks, six offensive coordinators.

One right tackle.

“I’m just really lucky I got drafted here and have been able to play my whole career here,” Johnson said. “I think a lot of it comes down to what team you’re on, the guys that are around you. That’s really what it comes down to. We have a lot of fun coming to work, obviously we like to compete and I think the guys around you is what really makes it possible.

“We’re in a great situation here, we’ve had a great culture here for a long time and that’s why it’s different.”

Like just about everybody on this roster, Johnson shrugs off personal achievements and emphasizes team goals.

In his case, they go hand-in-hand. He’s an all-time Eagle, one of the best players on one of the best teams in franchise history.

“Yeah, a lot of it has to do with having a talented roster,” Johnson said. “You have to be lucky in some situations in that injuries do play a factor in that. But really, I think with all the teams, we had a close bond on and off the field.

“So really coming into the season, we knew we had a lot of things to fix. And we had a lot of expectations to rise to. So with all that, we have a tight friendship off the field. And I feel like all this stuff translates to what we’re doing on the field.

“We’ve always had great players, but I just think the culture that we’ve established here, that the players before me established, have passed on something good, something great. I hope all the young players see this and realize it doesn’t happen all the time. So enjoy it and savor the moment.”

Read the full article here