Lane Johnson Steps Away From Eagles To Prioritize Mental Health During Season

Today is World Mental Health Day. The Eagles legend's retirement shows why it matters.

If you broke your leg, you would seek medical help. Why should seeking help for your brain be any different? Yet people experiencing depression, anxiety or overwhelming distress often worry that asking for help will make them look weak.

For Eagles fans across South Jersey, that question became real when right tackle Lane Johnson announced his retirement October 6, with the season barely underway. "Right now, it is critical that I focus on my mental health," he said. A player celebrated for protecting quarterbacks was acknowledging his own need for care. We'll miss watching him anchor the offensive line, but respecting Johnson means respecting the person beneath the helmet.

This conversation didn't start with his retirement. In 2021, Johnson missed three games while addressing anxiety and depression, and later spoke about struggles he had hidden from friends and family. His latest decision is a reminder that speaking openly once doesn't make a struggle disappear. Football celebrates playing through pain. Johnson broadens our understanding of toughness: sometimes strength means asking for help.

He's not alone. Simone Biles stepped back at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and returned to win in Paris in 2024 after openly discussing therapy. Coco Gauff has described struggling with pressure and expectations, a reminder that we don't need an official diagnosis to seek help. Terry Bradshaw, a Hall of Famer, has spoken publicly about depression and treatment, showing that someone can make others laugh while struggling privately.

Those struggles exist right here in our community, in students and adults alike. Outward success and a busy schedule can hide distress. Ask how someone is doing, and really listen to the answer.

Take action

A first step can be talking with a primary care provider or licensed mental health professional. Friends and family can listen without judgment and help with finding care or getting to appointments.

Anyone experiencing emotional distress or a suicidal crisis can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Locally, the Mental Health Association in Atlantic County offers support, education and a suicide prevention training called QPR (Question, Persuade and Refer). I took the course and learned a great deal about how to start a conversation that could save someone's life. Just as CPR prepares us for a physical emergency, QPR prepares us to respond to a possible suicidal crisis. Call 609-652-3800 or visit mhaac.info.

You would seek help for a broken leg, so give your brain the same consideration. Like Lane Johnson, recognizing your struggle and asking for help may be your strongest move yet.