Paving A Different Lane
Johnson Talks About Tackling Mental Health
MULLICA HILL, N.J. – The eagerness and anticipation were palpable, even 30 minutes prior to the event.
Folks of all ages had flooded the main entrance of Clearview Regional High School on Monday, quickly dispersing into the Toscano Theater to grab the closest seat to fully engage in the conversation awaiting them.
The hour-long seminar prioritized educating the community on, and promoting, mental wellness awareness – a topic that’s as prevalent now as ever.
The event, titled “Pave the Lane for Mental Wellness” featuring – you guessed it – Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson, was designed to reach the masses while also reaffirming the all-important message that it’s OK to not be OK.
Free yourself of the stigma and don’t allow yourself to be limited by fear, were the slogans hammered home.
Presenting sponsors, The Paul Michael Donahue Foundation and Faith on the Field, supported the event.

ITB PHOTO/ANDREW DICECCO: Eagles All Pro RT Lane Johnson (right) promoted mental health awareness to a NJ audience Monday night.
AP Senior NFL Writer Rob Maadi, emcee of the event, took the stage first, setting the scene for the transparent and difficult conversations that followed.
Joining Maadi shortly thereafter was Johnson, to the delight and awe of many in the audience.
The two stood feet apart, mics in hand as they shared their stories with a packed theater.
Maadi, a Philadelphia native who always comes off as authentic and genuine, drove the conversation, seemingly creating a comfortable environment for Johnson to address the crowd.
Any preconceived stigma about mental wellness should’ve been laid to rest right then and there, as the Eagles All-Pro right tackle candidly shared his challenges along with accounts of how mental health has impacted him, merely 24 hours after battling with Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt in Sunday’s 27-13 Eagles win.
The mantra – it’s OK to not be OK – can manifest in various forms, a topic that was also discussed.
It’s having the awareness and empowerment to unburden yourself of whatever baggage is weighing heavily that initiates the healing process.
Maadi, immediately endearing himself to the crowd, admitted that he wasn’t OK. He’d been on the road for 12 days and longed for his family. He was looking forward to traveling back to his Florida home on Tuesday.
For Johnson, a future Hall of Famer, he shared how his profession – especially in the early stages of his career – caused him to suppress a lot of those feelings.
But much has changed over the past decade-plus, Johnson said, also offering that he’s on an Eagles team that talks about everything and promotes open conversation.
Among the many impactful messages that Johnson, one that’s sure to universally resonate, is to not be limited by fear.
Johnson has embraced and prioritized the importance of his mental health, navigating those challenges that accompany it while finding ways to alleviate some of the anxiety.
Johnson, vulnerable and transparent, discussed his tumultuous 2020 season, when an ankle injury impaired him enough to end his season prematurely.
He spoke of the frustrations and after-affects that came with reconstructive ankle surgery. He didn’t feel like himself going into the next season and noted how the ankle impacted him on the field, particularly in the running game.
With pressure mounting, Johnson said he felt the need to step away from the team in the middle of the season, adding that he informed director of gameday coaching operations and chief security officer Dom DiSandro of his whereabouts.
The attention of the audience was most noticeable when Johnson began discussing some of the alterations he’s made to accommodate his mental health.
For example, while Johnson used to listen to music before games to amp him up, he said for about the past eight years he’s turned to doing Sudoku puzzles to dial in and occupy the mind. Another Eagles offensive lineman, Tyler Steen, is also keen on Sudoku.
He’s also come to accept the fact that the first 30 minutes of his game day will consist of throwing up, an enduring habit that ties into the anxiety.
Johnson and Maadi both revealed their reluctance to fly air travel. Maadi said he turns to an Amazon Music playlist to keep his mind at ease while in transit. Johnson said he routinely listens to “Weightless” by Marconi Union – a wordless musical composition that many people listen to for anxiety reduction.
Before the conversation wrapped for the evening, Maadi fielded questions from the audience for Johnson, which predictably spawned some football talk.
When asked about the toughest player he’d gone against, Johnson offered two names. He said earlier in his career it was Von Miller, and currently Watt, citing the Steelers edge rusher’s intelligence and ability to foresee plays develop.
Naturally, Johnson was also asked about playing for Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni, to which Johnson replied, “I would say he’s resilient and very transparent,” before lauding Sirianni for his constant communication and strong culture.
He also noted Sirianni’s adamance in promptness and weight control, and lauded the coach’s ability to hold players accountable, adding that a player’s number will appear on the screen during film in light of an error or miscue, specifically a mental error or missed block.
Johnson also talked about the importance of evaluating the company that one keeps and surrounding yourself with likeminded people. His words appeared to hit the ground as heavy as one of his signature hand-strikes on an opposing edge rusher.
While the stories shared by Maadi and Johnson were different, each hit home with the audience and were powerful all the same.
Maadi and Johnson stood before a sold-out audience, vulnerable and forthcoming. At the end, the audience showered them with applause.
On an evening devoted to educating and offering perspective on a delicate subject matter, the message appeared to be received: It’s OK to not be OK.
– Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com.
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