The Eagles lost a major piece of their offensive line just before kickoff Sunday, with Lane Johnson ruled out against the Rams for “personal reasons.”
Johnson had been listed as questionable, but Philadelphia removed him from the lineup only two hours before the 1 p.m. ET start.
The team has not offered any details about the absence. It’s also not the first time Johnson has stepped away this year; he previously had a separate four-day excused absence during training camp.
That earlier break led to a candid conversation when he returned in August. Johnson said the 2026 season is “probably” going to be his last.
“As you get older, as things change in your life, your children get older, parents get older, just puts things into perspective,” he told reporters.
“It’s looking like this will be potentially, probably my last year. Just because I am getting to that point. Those priorities away from football are starting to merge.
“Not that I don’t enjoy it. I love this game.... But that’s where I’m at in my career.”
Johnson also said his mother had been dealing with health issues, and he spoke about his children, saying it is “hard to get time back” with them.
With Johnson unavailable, the Eagles are expected to lean on third-round rookie Markel Bell at right tackle against Los Angeles.
Philadelphia enters Week 4 at 2-1, after close wins over the Commanders and Titans and a rough Monday Night Football loss to the Bears in Chicago. The Rams arrive at 1-2, having dropped two of their first three, including an opener against the 49ers in Australia.
In Other News...
Rams Enter Eagles Test With A Sudden Special Teams Problem
The Rams head into their Week 4 matchup with the Eagles carrying the usual injury baggage, but the special teams picture changed in a hurry this week. Los Angeles put tight end Terrance Ferguson on injured reserve, waived punt returner Xavier Smith and promoted running back Dean Connors to the active roster, a set of moves that puts extra attention on how the Rams handle the kicking game going into a matchup that already has plenty of personnel questions on both sides.
Philadelphia is dealing with its own absences, including DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert, but the Rams immediate concern is more basic: who handles returns and how cleanly the operation holds together. Those decisions tend to matter most when the games get tight, and with another short-week style test looming against a banged-up opponent, Los Angeles suddenly has one more area to sort out before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Just Watched A Massive Eagles Threat Suddenly Leave The Game
Saquon Barkleys afternoon against the Rams changed in an instant in Week 4, when the Eagles star suffered a right hamstring injury on a non-contact run and headed to the sideline. Barkley was listed as questionable to return after leaving the field favoring his leg, and Philadelphia had to quickly reshuffle its backfield with Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley stepping in.
For the Rams, the timing mattered as much as the injury itself. Barkley is the kind of player who can force an offense to stay on schedule and stress a defense every snap, so his exit immediately altered how the Eagles had to approach the rest of the game. Any setback involving a threat of that caliber is the sort of development a defense notices right away, even before the full impact becomes clear. [Read more 🡒]
Puka Nacuas Return Still Leaves Rams With One Big Concern
Puka Nacua was back on the field for the Rams in Week 4 against the Eagles after sitting out two games because of a pre-hernia injury that involved hip and groin soreness, a reminder of how careful Los Angeles has been trying to be with one of its most important receivers. Sean McVay has already clarified that Nacua does not have a full hernia, and the teams approach has been to manage the issue rather than push it.
Nacuas return mattered because he had already led the Rams in receptions and receiving yards in Week 1, and he still found a way to contribute against Philadelphia. The bigger concern now is less about whether he can play through it in the short term and more about how the Rams balance his value on the field with the risk of the injury lingering over the rest of the season. [Read more 🡒]