The life of a backup professional athlete often gets overlooked. It’s never easy coming off the bench, especially when you’re stepping in for a franchise legend and all-time great. However, that’s the situation Fred Johnson currently finds himself in (again).
Johnson made six starts for the Philadelphia Eagles last season as a result of injuries along their elite offensive line. He was necessarily thrust into both tackle spots, but will be manning the right side once more in 2025 following Lane Johnson’s Lisfranc sprain.
Lane is reportedly staring at a four-to-six week absence. There’s no sugarcoating that this marks a devastating blow to a Philadelphia squad that’s struggling to move the ball and score consistently. Fortunately, Fred has been in this situation before, giving him the self-belief to rise to the occasion while providing Eagles fans with much-needed reassurance.
Fred Johnson soothes Eagles fans nerves about replacing Lane Johnson
Fred was asked about the gargantuan task of replacing Lane ahead of Philly’s upcoming NFC East clash with the Dallas Cowboys. By the sound of it, the former is eager for the challenge and overtly confident in his abilities.
"I want to show the Eagles: 'hey, you brought me back for a reason — here’s the reason," Fred told reporters ahead of facing the Cowboys. "... It’s another opportunity on the biggest stage; who's not watching the Eagles play on Sunday?"
Despite not getting the opportunity to display it, Fred believes he proved worthy of being a starter in 2024. Nevertheless, Lane's latest ailment presents an additional window to showcase himself and play "Fred Johnson physical football."
"Last year, like I said [then], I feel like I did enough," Fred said about demonstrating the skills for increased playing time. "So, this time, I got another chance to rewrite what I did wrong."
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Most players would be intimidated by the pressure of subbing in for someone of Lane's stature. He's arguably the best in the NFL at his position and a future Hall of Famer, and perhaps above all, a linchpin of the Eagles organization. Yet, Fred isn't shying away from the spotlight, embracing the expectations and using it as extra fuel instead.