Philadelphia Eagles fans are still processing the news that Lane Johnson retired four games into the 2026 season, with more pressure now on head coach Nick Sirianni.
Johnson was ruled out at the last second of the Eagles' Week 4 loss to the Los Angeles Rams due to a personal matter. He faced a similar situation in training camp, when he missed four days of practice for the same reason.
With Johnson out of the picture and the Eagles forced to move on without him, all eyes are on Sirianni and how he responds. This could be a make-or-break moment for the head coach if he wants to keep his job beyond 2026.
Nick Sirainni's response to Lane Johnson's retirement will impact his future with the Eagles
Sirianni has been through something like this before. When Jason Kelce retired, he had to make sure Cam Jurgens was the right replacement. That was the case, except for what happened this year, since Jurgens has been a two-time Pro Bowler at center.
This is obviously a bit different since they have to replace Johnson four games into the 2026 season. They currently have Markel Bell filling in as the starting right tackle after making his first career start. Overall, Bell didn't do badly in that game, considering he was told at the last second he was going to start.
The real test for Sirianni, though, is whether he can keep this team focused with a massive distraction on his hands. Philly is 2-2, has lost two straight games, and is trying to get a firm grip on the year. They can't afford to keep the losing streak going, but they have so many other problems.
Oh yes, the Eagles have a laundry list of injuries on offense and defense. The Eagles could be without five starters on offense and three or four more on defense.
Everything is stacking up for Sirianni and the Eagles again, and while he's usually been good at getting through adversity, this is different. Sirianni will be tested on refocusing the team, fixing the offense and defense, and bringing it back together.
This would be tough for any coach to fight through, but unfortunately, Sirianni is facing the possibility that his seat is hot. Could this mean he's losing his job after 2026? It's very possible.
The offense is a mess, and the team is underachieving. He can't control the injuries, so it's not completely on him.
It's a crazy thought from a guy who has won over 68% of his games as head coach, been to the Super Bowl twice, and won one. That's just the situation he is in as the Eagles' head coach.
Read more: Will Shipley might actually be what Eagles need most in their futile offense
Still, everyone talks about Sirianni "doing nothing" as the head coach. Well, this is his chance to prove he does a heck of a lot more than people think, and if the team misses the postseason for the first time in his tenure as Eagles head coach, this offseason will raise big questions about his future, fair or unfair.
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