For weeks, the future of the Eagles‘ offensive line was shrouded in doubt, with retirement whispers surrounding two of its pillars. Now, one of them, Landon Dickerson, has broken his silence, and all it took was a picture and two emojis.

Taking to Instagram, on Wednesday, Landon Dickerson shut down retirement rumors with a carousel of photos in his Eagles uniform, along with two eagle emojis in the caption. 

NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo interpreted the post as a clear sign of Dickerson’s return. Dickerson’s retirement would have been dumbfounding, given that he has only played five NFL seasons. But what makes his decision to return surprising in itself is his nightmarish injury history.

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Dickerson’s medical file stretches back to his college days at Florida State. In 2016, he tore the ACL in his right knee, a season-ending injury that immediately put durability questions around his name. A year later, in 2017, he underwent right ankle surgery that again cut his season short. The following year wasn’t clean either. Persistent left ankle issues in 2018 limited his availability and forced him to battle through recurring setbacks before eventually transferring.

At Alabama, the pattern nearly repeated at the worst possible time. In December 2020, Dickerson tore the ACL in his left knee. It was his second ACL tear in four years, and it came just months before the 2021 NFL Draft. Medical evaluations became a central talking point around him. Teams loved the tape, but the risk profile was real. The Philadelphia Eagles still took him in the second round.

His rookie year in 2021 began cautiously. Still rehabbing from the ACL tear, Dickerson did not play in the season opener and was gradually integrated into the lineup. Once inserted, however, he stabilized the interior and rarely came off the field. Aside from a brief thumb issue that sidelined him for one game, he finished the year as a key starter.

From 2022 onward, the narrative shifted. Dickerson evolved into one of the league’s most reliable guards, earning multiple Pro Bowl nods while starting virtually every game he was healthy for. Through his first several NFL seasons, he missed only a handful of regular-season games, a remarkable turnaround considering his college history. There were still scares.

During the 2024 postseason, Dickerson briefly exited the NFC Championship Game with a knee concern. The optics were alarming given his past, but he returned and was available for the Super Bowl, reinforcing the idea that he could push through pain when it mattered most.

Then came August 2025. During an open practice at Lincoln Financial Field, Dickerson went down in an 11-on-11 drill and had to be carted off after struggling to put weight on his right leg. An MRI revealed a meniscus issue, and he underwent what the team described as a minor procedure. He was listed week-to-week with the goal of being ready for the regular season. Crucially, it was not another ACL tear.

He avoided long-term injured reserve and returned to action, missing a limited time rather than an extended stretch. Even in 2025, despite practice report appearances for knee and lower-leg management, he remained largely available.

That is the context behind the Instagram post. Two ACL tears. Multiple ankle surgeries. A playoff knee scare. A 2025 meniscus procedure. Each chapter could have altered the trajectory of his career. Instead, Dickerson rebuilt himself into a Pro Bowl-caliber anchor on one of the league’s premier offensive lines.

At the end of this streak, the Eagles rewarded him with a four-year extension worth $84 million. The deal also ensured $50 million in guaranteed amounts. That contract solidifies his role as a cornerstone for an offensive line that is itself in transition, with Philly welcoming new offensive line coach Chris Kuper, who takes over for the departed Jeff Stoutland. He previously coached at Minnesota, and the team struggled big time in exerting pressure on the interior and used 25 different line combinations, but to no avail.

Kuper became available after his dismissal from the Vikings, whose own line struggled last season. Now, he faces the challenging task of improving the Eagles’ battered line. Fortunately, Landon Dickerson’s update wasn’t the only one that had fans celebrating. Turns out, All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson is also heading back for his 14th NFL season.

Landon Dickerson’s teammate announced his 2026 return

Lane Johnson missed the Eagles’ final seven regular-season games last year. His absence extended to the team’s wild-card loss to the San Francisco 49ers, due to a Lisfranc injury. It raised serious doubts whether the 35-year-old could ever return. And many inside the building reportedly didn’t want that ending for Johnson.

While we don’t exactly know what went on behind the scenes, the confirmation is a relief. He confirmed his return to ESPN before announcing it on social media. He shared a photo of himself running out of the tunnel in green and added an eagle emoji in the caption. His arrival is crucial because the team had plenty of injuries, with many players still on the mend.

Before his exit, Johnson had performed at an All-Pro level in 2025. The Eagles went 8-2 in games he started and slipped to a 3-5 record in his absence. It has been a recurring trend for years. As a starter, he has a 120-62-1 record since his 2013 debut with the Eagles. They have been 19-29 without him, showing how much the team has relied on him. General manager Howie Roseman acknowledged his role on the team earlier this year.

“Obviously, you’re talking about a Hall of Fame player who’s been a huge, huge part of any of our success that we’ve had,” he said in January. “And when you watch him play, he’s still playing at an elite level.”

Meanwhile, the Eagles are currently undergoing an offensive transition after parting ways with longtime offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland this offseason. They also dismissed offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo and hired former Green Bay Packers quarterbacks coach Sean Mannion to run the offense. With so much change around him, Johnson’s return provides stability at a crucial time for Philadelphia.