Stephen A. Smith Apologizes Following His Comments About Lane Johnson Retirement

Stephen A. Smith apologized after criticizing Philadelphia Eagles lineman Lane Johnson’s decision to retire. Smith suggested Johnson retired because of the team’s struggle this season rather than the “person and family priorities” and “mental health” reasons Johnson cited.

On First Take, after Johnson’s retirement, Smith said Johnson “called it quits” midseason.

“Now he calls it quits, not before the season. Not in the offseason… four games into the 2026 season, a dude that has been in the league forever, sits back and says I need to focus on my mental health,” Smith said. 

Smith said that people “misconstrued me making light of mental health; I would never do that.”

Smith apologized again on First Take, saying, “My intent was joking about the Eagles; it doesn’t matter how my intent was, it’s how it’s received.” 

“I was wrong to Lane Johnson; I was wrong to the Philadelphia Eagles. I messed up because I made light of the issue of mental health, and that was clearly not my intent,” Smith said.

Johnson said in his retirement post that he “deeply wanted to gut it out for one more year; to take the field with my brothers for one last season,” hence his decision not to retire before the season. However, he said that his priorities changed after a period of “reflection.”