Get ready, because in five years, Canton, Ohio is gonna be absolutely flooded with midnight green. That’s when Lane Johnson, the hulking 6-foot-6, 335-pound perennial Eagles’ All-Pro right tackle, is no doubt getting inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It’s a moment already marked on the calendar, a city-wide homage to a guy who truly became a hero on and off the field.
Before the Kicks: A Quarterback’s Wild High School Dream
It’s crazy to think about where this journey started for Johnson, way back in Groveton, Texas. You wouldn’t believe it, but this dude, who now makes a living flattening D-linemen, was once a rangy, gangly kid running the 400-meter dash in 49 seconds, surrounded by a troupe of smaller runners. He was all feet, churning arms, pumping fists, standing head-and-shoulders above everyone, even back then. After tearing up the track, he’d head over to throw the shot put, hitting 50 feet with ease. Seriously, there really wasn’t anything the tall kid from tiny Groveton High couldn’t do, including perfect dead-on voice impersonations, channeling his inner Frank Caliendo to imitate teammates and coaches.
But here’s the kicker: everything with Johnson seemed to come late. He was 17 when he graduated from that Class A school, still a lean 215 pounds at 6-foot-6, and get this, he dreamed of playing quarterback at a major Division I level! Kevin Parker, Groveton’s defensive coordinator and Johnson’s high school basketball coach, summed it up perfectly: “Lane graduated at 17 years old and he really didn’t start growing until he got out of high school. It’s crazy what happened. He probably put on 40 pounds between the time he graduated and the fall of the next year. He began growing pretty rapidly from that point on.” Can you imagine that transformation? From a scrawny QB hopeful to the massive right tackle we know today.
The Philly Wall: How Johnson Built a Franchise’s Winning Tenor
Fast forward to the NFL, where that fourth overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, a “parting gift” from former Eagles’ coach Chip Kelly, absolutely changed the tenor of that franchise. Johnson wasn’t just a player, he was the cornerstone of the team for 14 seasons. His impact? Undeniable. The Eagles only had three losing seasons (7-9 in 2015 and 2016, and 4-11-1 in 2020) with him there. When Johnson played, Philly won 66% of the time, going 122-63-1. Without him? A dismal 18-30 record. That’s not just a difference maker, that’s a franchise builder.
He brought that patented right backfire mule kick, a move he borrowed from Jason Peters and perfected, showing off the balletic footwork that allowed his massive frame to spring out on edge rushers. Johnson just had a way of making everyone around him feel welcome. It’s why he’s a two-time, first-team and three-time second-team All-Pro selection, a six-time Pro Bowler, and played in three NFC championships, winning two Super Bowls. In five years, when they finally carve his bust in Canton, it’ll be more than deserved. It’ll be a celebration of a truly one-of-a-kind career.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleeding Green Nation.
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