Philadelphia Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson returned to training camp after missing four days of practice. However, as the six-time Pro Bowler made his return, he also brought some farewell news about his NFL career.

“As you get older, your children, parents get older and so, just putting into perspective, it’s looking like this is probably going to be my last year,” Johnson told reporters after Friday’s practice. “I am getting to that point of those priorities away from football are starting to merge.”

Johnson explained that his decision to retire after his 14th season stems from the personal obligations he has away from football. The 36-year-old tackle wants to focus more on his personal life because “it’s hard to get time back,” and he is looking forward to what he called a “fun transition.”

The Eagles drafted Johnson fourth overall in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Since then, he has become one of the strongest voices in the locker room and has started all 168 games he has played in.

During his time with the Eagles, Johnson has seen four head-coaching changes, five quarterback changes, and won two Super Bowls. Between 2022 and 2024, he achieved a three-year streak of making both the Pro Bowl and an All-Pro team, though he missed out last season.

Johnson, who is widely considered a future Hall of Famer, married Kelsey Holmer this offseason and feels it is time to prioritize his family. The Eagles tackle was previously married to Chelsea Goodman and has three children. His decision to retire is based on his desire to spend more time with the people closest to him.

“I’ve had those conversations with family members, and you can’t play forever. Not everybody can do what LeBron James is doing, but I am 36, so it is weird to say, but all the sport, all the love here, I plan on having a really good last year,” Johnson added.

Johnson is set to earn a base salary of $1.3 million this season and carries a cap hit of $20.29 million. He is under contract through the 2027 season, but his latest comments suggest that he may not play beyond the 2026 campaign.

That is why concerns grew when Johnson did not attend training camp after participating in the first practice on July 30.

Lane Johnson Explains His Absence Amid Eagles’ Major Coaching Change

During his press conference, Johnson explained that he missed practice because of a family matter. He revealed that his mother’s health was “struggling,” while the Eagles marked the absence as excused and non-injury-related.

However, NBC Sports Philadelphia reporter Reuben Frank analyzed another factor that may have made Johnson’s absence more concerning.

“Johnson’s absence was a little bit concerning because it lasted so long and because the Eagles have a new offensive line coach in Chris Kuper, who is installing a completely different system of blocking than his predecessor, Jeff Stoutland, and the more time the full unit has together, the better,” Frank wrote on August 7.

Former offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland was the only position coach Johnson had worked under during his 13 years with Philadelphia. That’s why Stoutland’s departure was a major change for the veteran tackle. In June, Johnson described Stoutland’s firing as a “shocking ordeal.”

“As far as replacing Stout, it’s gonna be hard to replace that kind of guy in my life. Being the mentor and my coach all these years. But you know with our system now, there’s lot to learn,” Johnson told reporters in June.

Although retirement appears to be approaching, Johnson is not treating the season like a farewell tour just yet. He still wants to stay healthy and enjoy his final year.