Snubbed Eagles OT Receives Long Overdue Honor

They say the waiting is the hardest part. This must have felt like a lifetime for one trash-talking Eagles player.

Starting right tackle Lane Johnson has been selected as an alternate for the NFC in the 2019 Pro Bowl in Orlando, Florida on Jan. 26. Per Sirius XM Radio’s Adam Caplan, the 29-year-old will be making his third straight appearance in the NFL’s annual all-star contest.

Johnson, initially snubbed from the squad, will receive a roster bonus for the accolade and self-satisfaction. Remember, Johnson expressed disappointment that he wasn’t picked when the rosters were first revealed in December.

Will he actually play in the game? That remains to be seen. Johnson suffered a gruesome high-ankle sprain in Week 14 (Dec. 9) and missed the final month of the season, including the playoffs. It seems far-fetched to think he would risk his health to line up in an exhibition.

More importantly, Johnson’s addition means someone else bowed out. Eagles right guard Brandon Brooks (ankle) has already been replaced by Carolina’s Trai Turner.

The most likely candidate would be Dallas’ Tyron Smith who missed the Cowboys’ season finale due to a bad back. Or maybe the Packers’ David Bakhtiari requested out after Sunday’s brutal loss in the NFC Championship Game.

Johnson Keeps Getting Snubbed for Awards & Accolades

Lane Johnson must have a complex by now. The right tackle is always on the outside looking in when the best tackles in the NFL are brought up.

Earlier this year, Johnson was left off a high-profile tackle list compiled by Sports Illustrated’s football writers. Then, he was overlooked for both the Pro-Bowl and All-Pro teams. The outspoken Texan never forgets a snub. He was also omitted from the NFL’s 100 best players’ list to start the season.

Highest-Paid Right Tackle in Football

The Eagles know how valuable Lane Johnson is to their success. That’s why they paved the lane with a wheelbarrow full of guaranteed money.

Johnson and the Eagles agreed to a four-year, $72 million contract extension back in late November. The deal includes $54.595 million in guaranteed money and it’s the largest contract for an NFL offensive lineman in history on a “per-year and guarantee basis.”

Johnson has long taken jabs at critics on social media for overlooking him when compiling lists of the best offensive tackles in football. The Eagles obviously felt differently and rewarded him with a top-level contract that keeps Johnson in midnight green through 2025.

“They know what they’re doing,” Johnson told the team’s website in November. “Ultimately, they want to build a good football team for a long time and core players is where it starts. It’s a blessing being around a lot of great people every day. It’s a lot of fun.”

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