QB to Tight End to Defensive End to Offensive Tackle?
Lane Johnson has one of the most interesting paths to the NFL in football history. His collegiate football career began at Kilgore College, a junior college in East Texas, where he played quarterback and tight end. After his freshman year, he transferred to the University of Oklahoma, where he played from 2009 to 2012. Initially, he served as a practice squad quarterback. He transitioned to tight end in 2010 and then to defensive end before the 2011 season.
However, when two starting linemen went down with injuries at the beginning of the 2011 season, offensive line coach Bruce Kittle asked multiple players, including Lane, to try out as backup linemen to fill in the missing roster depth. Lane’s footwork and natural pass-blocking abilities amazed Coach Kittle and he immediately switched to offensive tackle. Two games later, he earned the starting spot at right tackle and started the remaining 12 games of the season. As a senior in 2012, he was named a third-team All-American by CBS Sports.
Philadelphia Eagles Success
After an impressive showing at the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine, most analysts predicted Lane would be a top 10 pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. They were proven right when the Philadelphia Eagles selected Lane with the 4th overall pick in the first round of the draft. He started all 16 regular season games as a rookie and helped the Eagles finish first in the NFC East with a 10–6 record. In his second year, Pro Football Focus graded Lane as the 2nd-best right tackle and 13th-best offensive lineman. Pro Football Focus also selected Lane for their 2014 PFF All-Pro Team.
After a 2015 season in which Lane played through numerous injuries and filled in at left tackle for two games, Lane signed a six-year, $63 million extension with the Eagles. This contract made him the highest-paid right tackle in the NFL.
Pro Bowl & Super Bowl
Then in 2017, Lane was named to his first Pro Bowl and ranked as the top right tackle by Pro Football Focus. However, Lane did not attend the Pro Bowl as the Eagles clinched their spot in Super Bowl LII. In Super Bowl LII, the Eagles defeated the New England Patriots 41–33 to give Lane and the Eagles franchise their first Super Bowl rings.
On November 29, 2019, Johnson signed a four-year, $72 million contract extension with the Eagles, making him the highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL. He continued his on-field dominance and on December 11th, 2022, set an NFL record for 26 consecutive games without allowing a sack. During the 2022-23 playoffs, Johnson and the Eagles reached another Super Bowl, Super Bowl LVII, which they unfortunately lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, 38–35.
After the Eagles extended Lane’s contract through the 2026 season, he continues to be a mainstay of the team’s success.
A Philly Special Christmas
Since 2022, Lane has also released multiple A Philly Special Christmas albums alongside Eagles teammates Jason Kelce and Jordan Mailata. Their first album was an instant success and raised over $1.25 million for local charities in the Philadelphia area.