Stephen A. Smith Apologizes for Lane Johnson Comments as 36-Year-Old Cited Mental Health
Updated
Updated · Bleacher Report · Oct 7
Stephen A. Smith Apologizes for Lane Johnson Comments as 36-Year-Old Cited Mental Health
3 articles · Updated · Bleacher Report · Oct 7
Summary
Wednesday’s apology from Stephen A. Smith followed backlash to his claim that Lane Johnson retired because the Eagles were struggling, not for the personal and mental-health reasons Johnson gave.
Smith said viewers misconstrued him as making light of mental health and insisted he would never do that, after first criticizing Johnson’s timing four games into the season.
Johnson, 36, wrote that he wanted to play one more year but changed course after reflection, prompting broad support across the NFL and in Philadelphia for ending his career on his own terms.
The retirement deepens upheaval on Philadelphia’s offensive line, which already lost coach Jeff Stoutland, put Landon Dickerson on injured reserve and traded Cam Jurgens this week.
Johnson leaves after 14 Eagles seasons as a two-time champion, six-time Pro Bowler and likely first-ballot Hall of Famer, with general manager Howie Roseman calling him central to the team’s success.