Lane Johnson’s life has been closely connected to football for more than a decade, but his three children have always been an important part of the story away from the field.
The longtime Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle shares three children with his ex-wife, Chelsea Goodman. His family includes two sons and one daughter: David Jace Johnson, Journey Layne Johnson and McCoy Johnson.
After 14 seasons in the NFL, Johnson announced his retirement on October 6, 2026. As he reflected on the decision, he pointed to changing priorities in his life and his desire to focus more on his mental health and spend additional time with his children.
For a player who spent so many years dealing with the demands of professional football, stepping away from the game represents a major change. For Johnson, it also creates an opportunity to devote more attention to his role as a father.
Who Are Lane Johnson’s Children?
Lane Johnson has three children with his former wife, Chelsea Goodman.
His oldest child is David Jace Johnson, who was born in August 2013. He is commonly called Jace.
Johnson and Goodman also have a daughter, Journey Layne Johnson, who was born around 2016.
Their youngest child is McCoy Johnson, who was born around 2019.
The three children grew up while their father was playing professional football, meaning much of their childhood has taken place alongside the demands of an NFL career.
For Johnson, fatherhood has become increasingly important as he has moved into a new stage of his life.
David Jace Johnson
David Jace Johnson, often known simply as Jace, is Lane Johnson’s oldest child.
Jace was born in August 2013, shortly after his father’s first preseason game as an NFL rookie.
That timing makes his birth particularly memorable in Johnson’s football journey. Johnson was beginning his professional career at the same time he was becoming a father.
Jace is now around 13 years old, meaning he has spent essentially his entire life watching his father play professional football.
As Johnson steps away from the NFL, Jace will also get to experience a different side of his father’s life. Instead of football schedules dominating so much of the family calendar, Johnson will have more flexibility to be present for everyday moments and important milestones.
Journey Layne Johnson
Journey Layne Johnson is Lane Johnson’s only daughter.
She was born around 2016 and is approximately 10 years old.
Journey grew up during the middle portion of her father’s NFL career, when Johnson had already established himself as one of the Philadelphia Eagles’ key offensive linemen.
Being the daughter of a professional athlete can come with an unusual childhood, especially when a parent spends much of the year traveling, training and preparing for games.
Johnson’s decision to retire now means Journey will have more opportunities to spend time with her father outside the football environment.
McCoy Johnson
McCoy Johnson is the youngest of Lane Johnson’s three children.
He was born around 2019 and is approximately seven years old.
McCoy spent his early childhood during the later years of Johnson’s NFL career. By the time McCoy was born, Johnson had already established himself as a veteran player and one of the more recognizable members of the Eagles organization.
Now that Johnson has retired, McCoy will experience more of his father’s life away from the intense schedule of professional football.
The timing is especially significant because seven is still a young age. Johnson has spoken about wanting to spend more time with his children, and his retirement gives him the opportunity to be more present during these formative years.
Why Family Played a Role in Lane Johnson’s Retirement
Johnson’s retirement after 14 NFL seasons was not simply about ending a football career.
He specifically discussed how his priorities had changed. His decision was influenced by his desire to focus on his mental health and spend more time with his children.
For an athlete who has devoted most of his adult life to football, that is a significant decision.
NFL players operate under demanding schedules that include training, games, travel, meetings and preparation. Offensive linemen also deal with the physical demands of playing one of football’s most demanding positions.
Johnson has now reached a point where spending more time with his family has become a major priority.
His children are at different stages of childhood, and being present for them is something he clearly values.
Lane Johnson Has Been Open About Mental Health
Family is not the only personal issue Johnson has spoken about during his career.
He has also been open about his own experiences with anxiety and mental health.
Rather than keeping those struggles private, Johnson has used his public platform to discuss mental health and encourage greater openness.
For him, talking about these subjects is also connected to fatherhood. He has expressed the importance of showing his children that it is healthy to acknowledge difficult emotions and seek ways to deal with them.
That kind of transparency can be particularly meaningful for children who are growing up with a famous parent.
Johnson’s willingness to discuss anxiety has helped create a public image that goes beyond football. He has presented himself not just as an athlete, but as a father who wants his children to see the importance of taking care of their mental and emotional well-being.
Growing Up With an NFL Father
Jace, Journey and McCoy have experienced a childhood that is different from most children.
Their father spent 14 seasons playing in the NFL, including a long career with the Philadelphia Eagles. That meant football was naturally a major part of family life.
There were game days, training camps, practices and travel. There were also the highs that come with professional sports and the difficult moments that every athlete experiences.
For the children, however, Lane Johnson was not only an NFL offensive tackle. He was their father.
That distinction appears to be especially important as Johnson moves into retirement. His decision to step away from football gives him a chance to spend more time in the role that exists beyond his professional identity.
Lane Johnson’s Family After Football
Retirement does not mean Johnson will suddenly stop being connected to football. His career has made him an important figure in Eagles history and in the NFL more broadly.
But his daily life is expected to look different.
Without the demands of a regular NFL season, Johnson can devote more time to his children and other areas of his life.
His three children are also entering important stages. Jace is now a teenager, Journey is approaching her teenage years, and McCoy is still in elementary-school age.
Those years can pass quickly, and Johnson’s decision to prioritize family allows him to be more involved in them.
A New Chapter for Lane Johnson
Lane Johnson’s career was defined by toughness, consistency and longevity. Playing 14 NFL seasons is an achievement that only a small number of professional football players reach.
Yet his retirement announcement showed that his identity is not limited to what he accomplished on the field.
He is also a father to three children who have grown up alongside his football career.
David Jace, Journey Layne and McCoy Johnson represent an important part of Johnson’s life beyond the Eagles and the NFL. His decision to retire gives him the chance to focus more closely on their lives while also taking care of his own mental health.
For Johnson, this next chapter may look very different from the previous 14 years. There will be no NFL season dictating his schedule, no weekly preparation for Sunday and fewer demands pulling him away from home.
Instead, he can spend more time with the three children who have been part of his journey from the beginning.
His football career may now be over, but his role as a father continues. And based on the priorities he shared when announcing his retirement, being there for Jace, Journey and McCoy is one of the most important parts of what comes next.