Eagles’ Super Bowl champion with Jalen Hurts sends bold warning to NFL rivals

Winning back-to-back Super Bowl titles is no easy feat, but the Philadelphia Eagles are confident it can be done. Jalen Hurts, along with his teammates, will look to make another strong push in the NFL — and some within the locker room believe they’re more than capable of rising to the occasion.

Achieving such a massive goal requires many factors — one of the most important being the ability to sustain a high level of play throughout the entire year. Lane Johnson is one of the most experienced players on Nick Sirianni’s roster, and fortunately for the Eagles, the veteran offensive tackle says he feels better than ever.

In a recent conversation with the media, the two-time Vince Lombardi Trophy winner made it clear that he’s entering this new season at the peak of his performance since turning pro — a statement that should put every opposing defender on notice.

“I feel like even though I’m 35, I feel better than I was when I started (or when I was) 29 or 30,” Johnson said via NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I had the (ankle) surgeries and so for me the toughest year was ’21 and you can go back and watch it, you can clearly see on film, I was very hindered with my left foot.”

Offensive tackle Lane Johnson #65 of the Philadelphia Eagles answers questions during the team’s Tuesday media availability ahead of Super Bowl LIX at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside Hotel on February 4, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Eagles face the Kansas City Chiefs this Sunday in the Caesars Superdome.

“I feel like I’m getting close to maybe my peak,” Johnson also added. “As weird as it is to say, but that’s truly how I feel. Maybe they need to do a Combine for guys 10 years (in the league), see how we do compared to 10 years ago.”

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What if Lane Johnson had never landed in Philly?

Johnson is one of the most iconic offensive linemen on Nick Sirianni’s team. He was selected with the fourth overall pick in the first round of the 2013 Draft. With history already on his side, the veteran OT has earned two Super Bowl rings — and now he’s aiming for a third.

That said, what would have happened if Johnson hadn’t slipped to the fourth pick? The Chiefs, Jaguars, and Dolphins held the top three selections, and had any of them chosen him, his career path — and perhaps NFL history — could have looked very different.

“I thought about what would have happened if I went to Miami,” Johnson said. “Kansas City wouldn’t have been bad, but, you know, Jacksonville? But yeah, very fortunate to land here, and I just think the passion of the city and the intensity and how they focus so much on the sport, I think it allows, whatever pressure they put on you, I think it allows you to be the best player you can be. So it’s something that you can really appreciate in time, and I know I have.”