There has been one player missing for the Philadelphia Eagles this season — and in the past — who seems to determine their fate of winning and losing games almost more than any other.
That player is perennial NFL All-Pro right offensive tackle Lane Johnson, who missed the final 7 games of the regular season with a Lisfranc injury in his foot.
The Eagles, the No. 3 seed in the NFC Playoffs, open their Super Bowl title defense at home against the No. 6 seed San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, January 11, at 4:30 p.m. EST on Fox.
Whether Johnson is able to play or not is still yet to be determined, although we now know a little more on that process.
From The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane on Tuesday, January 5: “Eagles RT Lane Johnson is expected to practice on Wednesday for the first time since he suffered a Lisfranc foot injury vs. the Lions on Nov. 16, per NFL sources. Johnson has made progress in his recovery, but still has to test his right foot before the team makes a decision on his availability for Sunday’s wild card game vs. the 49ers … The Eagles went 3-4 in the 7 games he sat out because of the foot injury, and are now 18-28 in games he hasn’t played during his 13-year career. Johnson has missed just one playoff game — a wild card loss to the Seahawks in 2020 — out of possible 15 in his career. In 2023, he held off adductor surgery until after the Eagles’ run to the Super Bowl.”
Original Prognosis on Johnson: Out 4-6 Weeks
The Eagles had a built-in advantage in terms of Johnson’s recovery because they knew they didn’t have to press him into service after they clinched a home playoff game by clinching the NFC East Division title with a Week 16 win over the Washington Commanders.
From NFL.com: “Through all the tumult and drama, the 2025 Philadelphia Eagles have emerged with a history-making playoff berth. The Eagles defeated the Washington Commanders, 29-18, on Saturday to clinch back-to-back NFC East titles, becoming the division’s first repeat winners in 21 years. The feat snaps the NFL’s longest division streak without back-to-back champions.”
Once that happened, there was really no reason to play Johnson in the final 2 games of the regular season.
Eagles Sometimes Seem Lost Without Johnson
There’s a reason the Eagles have been super average or below average without Johnson — there are few players in NFL history who can dominate the line of scrimmage like the 6-foot-6, 325-pound No. 4 overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft.
Johnson, who seems like a lock to join the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day, has helped lead the Eagles to the first 2 Super Bowl wins in franchise history and played in another Super Bowl where his team only lost by 3 points to the Kansas City Chiefs.
He’s also been paid like one of the best offensive linemen in NFL history. Johnson, who will turn 36 years old in May, will have an incredible $163 million in career earnings following this season.
“C’mon … Eagles Nation knows Lane ain’t missing the playoffs for nothing,” Eagles superfan Andrew C wrote on X on January 6.
Eagles Get Injury Timeline Update on All-Pro OT Lane Johnson