Jalen Hurts: Fred Johnson 'showed up and showed out' for Eagles

This story was written by Andrew DiCecco, and originally appeared on Inside The Birds. 

After converting a Zack Baun interception for the game’s first touchdown moments into the Eagles’ 33-26 win Sunday, the team’s high-powered offense was (temporarily) stuck in neutral.

Yards were scarce via the ground game, headed by star running back Saquon Barkley, and the passing game was disjointed. Piling on to the ominous start, the Eagles lost stalwart right tackle Lane Johnson, who exited early in the contest with a neck ailment and did not return.

Coming on for Johnson was veteran Matt Pryor, who’d logged over 1,000 snaps last season at guard for the Bears and split time between right guard and right tackle in training camp. The struggles, however, persisted for Kevin Patullo’s group, punctuated by an emphatic Jared Verse sack from Pryor’s side that jarred the ball from the hands of Jalen Hurts.

Things were snowballing, though the Eagles were armed with ample enough time to make adjustments to turn the tides.

Inserted for Pryor was seventh-year pro Fred Johnson, a familiar face re-acquired in a late-summer trade after signing in free agency with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Johnson, who started six games for the Eagles a season ago, had been in this position many times before, even if he hadn’t repped at all last week at right tackle. For Johnson, the significance of having his number called in that moment wasn’t lost on him.

“I told ’em, ‘I’m my brother’s keeper,'” Johnson said after the game. “And that’s it. I gotta execute, I’m gonna help the team to win any way I can.”

With Jordan Mailata and Fred Johnson as the bookends on the left and right sides, respectively, the Eagles proceeded to engineer a five-play, 79-yard scoring drive, culminating in a 33-yard Dallas Goedert touchdown, cutting into the Rams’ 26-7 lead.

The synchronized offense continued to churn, providing complementary football and fueling the Eagles’ climb from a 19-point deficit. That the Eagles were able to effectively move the football once Johnson entered in relief of Pryor was no coincidence, even if Johnson himself couldn’t explain it.

“I have no idea,” he said. “All I knew is my number was called and you gotta deliver whenever your number’s called. No matter the circumstance, no matter the weather, no matter how you feeling – how you woke up that morning – your number’s called, my brother’s need me, I gotta deliver. I gotta execute.”

True to form, Johnson, a charismatic personality and locker room pillar, didn’t waver, answering the bell when his team needed most. The 28-year-old accounted for 42 of the offense’s 67 snaps, the dependability and consistency showcased serving as a prime example as to why Johnson was targeted in the August trade. It was the kind of 60-minute brawl the Eagles are always up for, but it took a collective effort from everyone, on all three phases.

A game such as Sunday’s thriller – capped by a blocked field goal – is typically ripe with storylines that would have otherwise rendered Johnson an unsung hero. But under this leadership, selfless and conditioned to embrace roles regardless of size, the praise is shared.

“Fred showed up and showed out when his number was called on,” Hurts remarked when reflecting on the efforts of his teammates.

While Johnson signed with the Jags in free agency eyeing an opportunity to start, circumstances led him back to the franchise he helped win its second Super Bowl.

The fit on the field has always been as apparent as Johnson’s fit within the team’s culture. His preparation and detail whenever his number is called while abiding by a team-first mindset are defining characteristics.

Whether or not Johnson played his way into becoming the Eagles’ all-important swing tackle on game day, Johnson on Sunday afternoon was a part of history. That he was able to adapt on a whim and steady the ship wasn’t a surprise, but rather expected, especially from those who know him best.

“Everybody’s just been hype,” Johnson said. “Everybody’s just been, ‘Fred, we’re glad you’re back.’ And Mailata’s like, ‘I knew who you was before,” and he’s like, ‘I definitely know who you are now.’ I’m not gonna ever give up. That’s just what it is.”