Good: Lane Johnson and Landon Dickerson confirm they will be BACK for the 2026 NFL season

For a minute there, it felt like we were bracing for the end of an era. Injuries piled up. The offensive line took a step back. Jeff Stoutland stepped away. The 2025 season ended in embarrassment, and when a 35-year-old right tackle misses the final stretch with a Lisfranc injury, you start preparing yourself emotionally.

Not this time.

Lane Johnson officially shut down retirement speculation and confirmed he’s returning for his 14th NFL season in 2026. The future Hall of Famer is not ending his Eagles career on a sour note, and that alone is massive news for a franchise trying to steady itself after a chaotic year.

Lane Johnson is officially BACK

View this post on Instagram

The Eagles are a different football team when No. 65 is on the field. Since 2016, Philadelphia is 94-41-1 with Lane Johnson and 15-28 without him.

That’s not a coincidence. That’s franchise-level impact.

Even in an injury-shortened 2025 campaign, Lane Johnson was still elite when healthy. Before the Lisfranc sprain shut him down, he was playing at an All-Pro level again. He has allowed almost nothing in pass protection over the last several seasons and remains one of the best run blockers in football.

The Eagles’ offense may have sputtered last year, but that was not on him.

This also comes at a critical time. The Eagles are transitioning to a new offensive coordinator in Sean Mannion. They replaced Stoutland with Chris Kuper. Thankfully, it looks like the majority of uncertainty around the offensive line, including whispers about Landon Dickerson contemplating his future have been put to rest.

Landon Dickerson is also BACK

Despite his frustrations with health issues Landon Dickerson is planning to return for the 2026 season … per source.

— Derrick Gunn (@RealDGunn) February 19, 2026

Stability matters, and news today provides it instantly.

Now, does this mean the Eagles shouldn’t think about drafting his successor? Absolutely not. In fact, this almost makes it easier. Let a rookie sit behind a legend for a year. Let him learn how a pro prepares. Let him see what elite looks like every day. That’s how you transition the right way instead of scrambling when the inevitable retirement finally comes.

Lane Johnson is under contract through 2027, but realistically this is year-to-year territory. He turns 36 in May. The foot injury was serious. You do not get infinite seasons at this stage.

At the very least, 2026 is happening and for a team that collapsed late, changed coaches, and is trying to re-establish its identity, having Lane Johnson anchoring the right side is about as good of offseason news as you could ask for.

The Eagles are better when he plays. That’s not debate. That’s fact and for at least one more season, Lane Johnson is playing.

Join The Chase