August 12, 2026
When Lane Johnson mentioned matter-of-factly last week that he was approaching this season as his swan song in the NFL, I felt a pang of sadness. No one in the past 14 years has had more to do with the success of our sports teams than the best right tackle in Eagles history.
Who else can say that his team won 66% (110-57-1) of the games when he played and 40% (18-27) when he didn’t?
No one. Ever. (I didn’t check this, but come on. It has to be true.)
I can remember back in 2013 when Howie Roseman – yes, he was making roster decisions back then, too – chose the 23-year-old Oklahoma lineman with the No. 4 pick in the first round of the draft. Back then, Lane was 6-3 and 303 pounds, with peach fuzz on his face and a Hall of Fame career awaiting him.
The decision was a terrible one, I asserted on my WIP show. It makes no sense to draft a lineman with such a high pick. Offensive lineman is the hardest position to project. How was new coach Chip Kelly supposed to install his sophisticated offense with an unproven rookie out there trying to protect the blind side of quarterback Michael Vicks? Hey, maybe it’s time Howie let someone else oversee the draft. (At the end of that season, Kelly took over briefly). Blah, blah, blah.
Among many terrific picks in Roseman’s GM career, Johnson turned out to be his best – yes, even better than stealing Jalen Hurts in the second round in 2019. After all these years, Lane is still considered among the best offensive linemen in the NFL, and for some of those years he has been the absolute best.
Eventually growing to 6-6 and 325 pounds, Johnson will be remembered first for being an essential contributor to two Super Bowl champions and to the most successful era in Eagles history. Beyond his play on the field, he has been a positive force in the clubhouse, where his indomitable spirit permeated the clubhouse for many of his best seasons.
Lane moved the needle on wins and losses like no other offensive lineman. He proved to me – and other clueless observers – how important a great lineman can be. Everyone he played with, from linemates Jason Kelce and Jordan Malaita to quarterbacks Carson Wentz and Jalen Hurts to running backs Saquon Barkley and LeSean McCoy, will tell you no one was more instrumental to their own success than the big kid from Groveton, Texas.
Why does Johnson see this season as the end? Well, he’s 36 now, he has two championship rings, and he hasn’t played a full season in seven years because of injuries. He has absorbed more abuse than any sane NFL player would endure without considering seriously the long-term toll on his body. He’s smart enough to know when to quit.
Of course, I can’t ignore the fact that he announced his plan to retire just months after losing the only NFL line coach he ever had, Jeff Stoutland. My guess – and that’s all it is, a guess – is that a couple of weeks with new line coach Chris Kuper was all it took for Lane to realize it was time to move on. (In case you missed a previous blog post, I think Kuper is a massive downgrade from Stoutland.)
As I pondered life without Lane Johnson, I decided to go in search of other Philly sports figures who are actually underrated in an era when the newly-docile media glorifies any palooka who has a good game.
There are a few, at least:
J.T. Realmuto
Many years ago, I was seated next to J.T. at a banquet in 2020, soon after he was traded to the Phillies. He was an engaging, entertaining seat companion, especially when I tried to explain to him the psychology of Philadelphia sports fans. Though I take no credit for orienting him – nor deserve any – he has had a terrific career here, even though he rarely is ever mentioned before his more exalted teammates like Bryce Harper or Kyle Schwarber.
The truth is, Realmuto is every bit as responsible for the winning style of the current team as the bigger names. Realmuto has been a Silver Slugger winner three times – the best hitter in the National League at his position – and he has been even more impressive calling, framing and catching the pitches of a formidable pitching staff.
Although his stats this season (.225, 8 homers) are hardly impressive, he still is in full command behind the plate, and at 35 he still can run faster than most catchers.
So why hasn’t he received more acclaim in Philadelphia?
Because he never calls attention to himself with brash actions or controversial comments. I told him during that banquet that loudmouths tended to get a lot more attention here. Hey, that was definitely an area of expertise for me. I never shut my mouth on WIP for 33 loud years,
In the end, regardless of my early input, J.T. Realmuto has been an excellent performer in his seven seasons here, on and off the field. It’s long past the time when we all finally give him his due, don’t you think?
Tyrese Maxey
When the Sixers shocked the world and signed LeBron James last month, the move revealed some truths about all the stars James would join here. There was understandable speculation about how one of the greatest players in NBA history would learn to coexist with divas like Joel Embiid and Jaylen Brown. There were no such questions about Maxey, the ultimate team player. Maxey can adjust his game to anybody, with no drama. Imagine that.
I won’t recite all of the glowing stats for the 25-year-old wunderkind. It’s enough to say he’s the fastest player in the league, a relentless defender and all-around role model. On a team that has won nothing – thank you, Joel – he is a winner.
So why not more love in a city that values the work ethic and talent of a still-young star?
Well, there hasn’t been much of the spotlight left after the antics of Embiid and, to a lesser degree, James Harden, Ben Simmons and Paul George. Maxey has never cared about getting attention, and now that LeBron has arrived, Tyrese figures to get even less.
But All-Star teams rarely win championships. They need players who play under the radar and beyond all expectations. That’s Tyrese Maxey.
Rick Tocchet
The biggest name on the Flyers last season was not a player, but a Philadelphia icon named Rick Tocchet. He was a terrific player here in two separate tenures covering eight seasons. The fans loved him because he was equally adept at lighting the light and dropping the gloves. The first face you should see when you reflect on the late 1980s Flyers is Tocchet’s, proudly sporting a few new bruises from his latest trip to the dark side.
What I didn’t know, even when he was a regular contributor to our WIP radio show, was what a terrific coach he had become. Hell, back then I was so sure listeners didn’t care about hockey, I would spend the first half of every interview grilling him about soup. (He really loves soup.)
Surrounded by kids with no track record of NHL success, Tocchet slowly developed the roster into a playoff winner in his first year as head coach. The way he brought along the youngest – and soon to be best – player, Porter Martone, was subtle and effective.
So why wasn’t more made of Tocchet’s contribution to the rebirth of hockey in Philly? Having been one of the media types who pretty much ignored his exemplary work last season, I have no good explanation. For me, I guess, it’s part of the adjustment to the Flyers being relevant again.
But if I was talking to Rick on WIP today, I would not even mention his favorite minestrone.
The Phillie Phanatic
Yes, I went there. Sorry. I have grandkids now, and they influence my judgment in matters like this.
In all my years spouting negativity on the air, I can remember no moment when I turned my evil eye on the big furry creature. I have always believed the Phanatic to be the best mascot in America. Now that I have received a sampling of international mascots via the World Cup, I can even stretch further and decree that our big pal is the best mascot in the world.
I was watching the local news the other day, and a story featured a talking head at his desk. Suddenly, four-year-old Dutchie yelled, “The Phanatic!”
Sure enough, right there on the desk, obscured by the usual clutter, was a miniature doll of the mascot.
When we watch a Phillies game, the little ones are far more interested in the moments when the Phanatic is out there performing than anything happening in the game. I can’t help but believe the true magic of that amazing rascal is his ability to lure kids into the ballpark before they expand their interest to the game itself.
I have known personally both of the original Phanatics, Dave Raymond and Tom Burgoyne, and they were extraordinary performers. I have no idea who’s inside that smelly costume now, but he is awesome, too. The Phanatic has never had a losing season.
I mentioned a couple of weeks ago here that I was blown away by the bit the Phanatic pulled off right after the Sixers signed LeBron James. In a matter of hours, the brains behind the costume had come up with a version of the powder toss that was hilarious.
The more I have thought about it, I have come to realize that the Phanatic is a bigger star in Philadelphia than LeBron will ever be. I just hope our newest superstar is ready to play second fiddle to a big green goofball.