Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata (68) and offensive tackle Lane Johnson (65) and center Jason Kelce (62) walk off the field after the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium.
Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata (68) and offensive tackle Lane Johnson (65) and center Jason Kelce (62) walk off the field after the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium.
Jordan Mailata spent more than six years manning the outer edges of the Philadelphia Eagles' offensive line alongside franchise great Lane Johnson. The Australian native and former Rugby player honed his football skills while learning from one of the best tackles of his era. They competed in two Super Bowls together and celebrated a championship. Those experiences should shape a lasting bond. Philly's starting left tackle has time to reflect on all that.
Right now, he is still adjusting to the Johnson retirement news.
“Still kinda shocked by it all,” Mailata said, per The Athletic's Brooks Kubena. “Yeah, still a hard one to swallow to be honest. To be honest, I'm not gonna comment on Lane's retirement, I don't want to speak for him. Or speak on this. I think it's just heavy. It's heavy to deal with right now.
“I'm still processing my emotions — let alone, also, we try to remember all the times we had. A lot of memories to unpack when I think about Lane. I just think about how much I'm going to miss him going forward.”
Johnson was a surprise inactive for Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Rams, and two days later, the longtime right tackle called it a career. The Eagles obviously appreciate everything the two-time SB champion and two-time First-Team All-Pro accomplished with them, but they are now forced to address his abrupt departure, both on and off the field.
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Philly's offensive line has not been operating with the same cohesion and power as it has in the past. With Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson now both retired, and Landon Dickerson sidelined with a knee injury, Jordan Mailata will be expected to carry a huge burden on the O-Line. Embracing that responsibility requires a clear mind.
The 2024 Second-Team All-Pro surley has strong feelings about Johnson's farewell, but he must also prepare himself and his teammates for an important home matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Eagles' already challenging season just got hit with even more adversity.