Philadelphia Eagles Pro Bowl right tackle Lane Johnson reportedly injured his neck on the Eagles’ signature play during their come-from-behind, 33-26 win over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.
According to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Johnson suffered a stinger on a Tush Push during the Eagles’ opening offensive series of the game. McLane called it the “first notable injury” an Eagles player has suffered on a Tush Push.
Johnson left the game after playing just 10 offensive snaps and didn’t return, but Johnson told McLane that he is “trending toward” being able to start against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 4.
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Selected fourth overall by the Eagles in the 2013 NFL draft, Johnson has firmly established himself as one of the top offensive tackles in the league over his 13-year career.
A six-time Pro Bowler and two-time First Team All-Pro, Johnson has started all 161 regular-season games he has appeared in, and he helped the Eagles win a pair of Super Bowls, including last season.
While always effective when healthy, injuries have plagued Johnson at times throughout his career, as he hasn’t gone a full season without missing a game since 2015.
Injuries are par for the course when it comes to offensive linemen who battle in the trenches on every play, but the circumstances of Johnson’s latest injury will perhaps do little to quell the opposition to the Tush Push.
There has long been support behind the idea of outlawing the Tush Push for multiple reasons, and player safety is one that has been cited quite often.
Although a lineman can get injured on any play, Johnson suffering a stinger on a Tush Push could serve as additional ammo for teams that want to get the play out of the game.
In May, the Tush Push was nearly banned via a vote at the NFL spring meetings. While 24 votes were needed to make it an illegal play, only 22 teams voted in favor of the ban.
The Tush Push, which the Eagles run to near perfection thanks to a dominant offensive line and a tough-as-nails quarterback in Jalen Hurts, has remained at the center of controversy this season.
When video of the play is slowed down, it has often looked this season as though members of Philly’s offensive line have moved early. However, no false starts have been called on the Tush Push, and it has remained highly effective for the Eagles.
It is possible the Tush Push could come under fire again next offseason, but it remains a legal play for at least the remainder of the 2025 campaign.
As for Johnson, the Eagles could undoubtedly use his presence Sunday in a battle of unbeaten teams against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The team that wins the game will move to 4-0, and it will hold the tiebreaker over the losing team as it relates to the race for the No. 1 playoff seed in the NFL, which could play a significant role in which NFC team represents the NFC in the Super Bowl.
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