Stephen A. Smith Insists His Words Were ‘Misconstrued’ in Response to Backlash Over Lane Johnson Comments
Stephen A. Smith Insists His Words Were ‘Misconstrued’ in Response to Backlash Over Lane Johnson Comments
Ahmad Austin Jr.Wed, October 7, 2026 at 9:16 PM UTC
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Stephen A. Smith claimed his words were “misconstrued” in response to the wave of backlash he faced for his comments regarding Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Lane Johnson.
Just four games into the 2026-27 season, Johnson announced his retirement from the NFL. In his official statement, Johnson cited his mental health — as well as his desire to spend more time with his family — as the key factors in his decision.
The next day, Smith joked that Johnson’s mental health struggles were a direct result of the Eagles’ recent poor play. ESPN reporter Kimberley Martin said on air that Smith was making light of a serious situation.
Many in the industry appeared to agree with Martin, expressing their disapproval of Smith’s remarks on social media.
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Hours later, Smith insisted on his show Straight Shooter that his comments were simply misinterpreted. He explained that he related to Johnson’s situation, noting the struggles he went through when his mother died. Then, he stood firmly on his initial words and continued to argue that the team’s on-field performance pushed him to retire.
“But I’m one of those people, and people thought I was joking,” Smith said. “I’m not joking about him. I’m looking at the Eagles because of how chaotic it is. Now, you got injuries and nine starters go out. Jalen Hurts, even though he’s good, doesn’t look that great. And on top of it all, not only is that going on, but AJ Brown is gone; and when he was there, he was complaining. Ladies and gentlemen, facetiously speaking, that kind of stress could take you down. That kind of stress could ravage your world. That kind of stress can make you say, ‘You know what? I don’t need this. I got a long life ahead of me. I don’t have time for this. Let me go spend time with my family. Let me live a better life than this.'”
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The post Stephen A. Smith Insists His Words Were ‘Misconstrued’ in Response to Backlash Over Lane Johnson Comments first appeared on Mediaite.
Source: “AOL Sports”
