Stephen A. Smith’s comments on Lane Johnson’s retirement quickly turned into a problem of their own. After questioning the Philadelphia Eagles star’s decision on First Take, Smith had to clarify his remarks and apologize as criticism mounted across the NFL world.
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Johnson announced his retirement on Tuesday, October 6, after 14 seasons with Philadelphia, saying he needed to focus on his mental health and family. The timing caught plenty of people off guard, but Smith’s reaction on ESPN’s First Take drew a different kind of attention.
Smith questioned why Johnson would walk away four games into the season while Philadelphia was already dealing with injuries and offensive problems. He repeatedly referenced Johnson’s decision to prioritize his mental health before appearing to mock the timing of his retirement.
“I’m sorry that when I was on television earlier this morning on First Take ESPN every weekday morning from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, my day job,” Smith said later on his SiriusXM show. “People misconstrued me minimizing mental health. I would never do that. Hell, I had mental health issues.”
Smith then opened up about his own experience following his mother’s death in 2017. He said he spent two years dealing with severe misery, sought therapy and reached a point where he would sometimes see nothing but darkness.
That experience, Smith said, was why he understood the seriousness of mental health issues. His argument was that he was criticizing the Eagles’ situation, not Johnson for stepping away from football.
“I wasn’t talking about Lane Johnson. I was talking about how the Eagles and how chaotic this situation is can drive you to it,” Smith said.
The explanation came after his original comments had already sparked backlash. During First Take, NFL reporter Kimberley A. Martin pushed back on Smith and told him she felt he was “making light of the situation.”
Smith maintained that his intention was to highlight how badly things had gone for Philadelphia. He pointed to Johnson’s importance to the Eagles and noted that the veteran right tackle had not allowed a sack or quarterback hit across 112 pass-blocking snaps this season.
His broader argument was that the Eagles had lost several key players while struggling to find consistency on offense. Johnson’s decision, in Smith’s view, showed just how difficult the situation had become.
Still, the criticism did not stop there.
Johnson has been open about his mental health struggles for years and previously stepped away from Philadelphia for three games during the 2021 season while dealing with his well-documented issues. Former teammate C.J. Gardner-Johnson also criticized Smith, saying he should “be there for us instead of mock us.”
Smith eventually closed his clarification by congratulating Johnson and praising his career.
“Congratulations to him on an illustrious career,” Smith said. “He is a surefire first ballot Hall of Famer. Without question, he is something special.”
The apology did little to erase the original controversy, but Smith made his position clear. He said his target was the Eagles’ chaotic situation, not Johnson’s decision to prioritize his mental health.