Philadelphia Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson feels indebted to the city of Philadelphia and would like to repay the citizens in the form of a Super Bowl championship and frosty suds.
"I have a lot to prove to this city," Johnson told reporters following the team's open practice at Lincoln Financial Field Sunday. "I think if we have a few big years and make the playoffs, if we win a Super Bowl, I'm giving out beer to everybody."
With a nightmarish 2016 now in the rear-view mirror, Johnson appears to be soaking up every ounce of this summer's training camp. He's doing his part to keep the atmosphere light, as evidenced by his showing up to practice wearing a blonde wig under his helmet on more than one occasion.
"These days of training camp, obviously we're here to get work done and we're here to be serious, but at the same time you need little moments like that," center Jason Kelce said. "We all got started [in football] because we love doing it, we love being around the guys. Sometimes it's good to have a little fun."
Johnson is clearly enjoying the moment, but also seems intensely driven to make up for the damage his absence caused last season. He was hit with a 10-game suspension for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing drugs a second time. The Eagles were 5-1 when Johnson was in the lineup and 2-8 when he was out.
He believes the positive test last year was the result of taking an amino acid he purchased online that was contaminated. Determined not to have any more "mishaps," Johnson says he has cut out supplements altogether, and is instead relying on more strict diet. Johnson says he is as heavy he's ever been at around 325 pounds, and feeling stronger than ever.
Johnson believes he's a top-10 NFL tackle and is hopeful that good things are in store for the Eagles.
"I just want to deliver," he said. "I'm tired of not making the playoffs. If you make the playoffs, everybody's day around here is better, and life around Philly is just sweeter.”
And sweeter still if the Eagles manage to capture their first Lombardi Trophy sometime in the near future. Johnson might want to clarify his beer comments just in case. According to the 2016 census, the city of Philadelphia has a population of around 1.5 million. Of that number, roughly 75 percent are adults. If he bought a drink for every of-age man and woman in Philly at $3 a pop, he'd ring up a bar bill of around $3 million.