Smith found himself in hot water over comments he made about Philadelphia Eagles OT Lane Johnson on Wednesday’s edition of his morning talk show, First Take. Sports show host Stephen A.
In a statement Johnson issued on his decision, the Offensive Tackle cited his deteriorating mental health as the reason. Referring to Lane Johnson’s retirement, Stephen A. I’m gonna call it quits,’ Now, he calls it quits. Not in the offseason. Oh, no, no, no, no! I need to focus’ — what did he say? His mental health? Am I making it up? It’s time. I’m gonna call it quits. My mental health. My mental. Lord! That’s trouble for the Philadelphia Eagles, and everybody in the ‘City of Brotherly Love’ knows it,” he added. Stephen A. I would never do that. …
Johnson played 16 seasons for the Eagles, having joined them in the 2013 NFL draft.
Smith said: “He went like this, ‘You know what? After being subjected to this, he said, ‘Life is a little bit too short. “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,'” the veteran host continued, appearing to directly mock Johnson’s decision. “And this brother said, ‘Hey, my life matters. Smith said that he meant that the situation at the Philadelphia Eagles is so “chaotic” that it can “drive you to” retirement. I wasn’t talking about and mental health,” Smith said. “I was talking about how the Eagles and how chaotic this situation is can drive you to it.”
Not before the season. “I’m sorry that when I was on television earlier this morning… people misconstrued me minimizing mental health. Johnson on Tuesday announced his retirement from the NFL . Smith issued a clarification hours after his comments on Wednesday morning blew up.
