f.Eleven Seasons, 0 Missed Games Until a Kentucky Plane Crash Took the One Man an Eagles Star Never Played Without.f

For thirdteen NFL seasons, one of the most beloved offensive leaders in Philadelphia never stepped onto a football field without knowing exactly where to look. From Lincoln Financial Field to Lambeau, from division games to playoff runs, he never played alone. Every snap, every pregame tunnel walk, every national anthem — one face was always there. Not a fan. Not a celebrity. A family constant. A man who never once missed a single regular-season game in thirdteen straight years. That streak ended this week — not by choice, not by distance, not by life moving on, but by fire in the sky.

The player is Lane Johnson — and the man who never missed his games was his uncle, the pilot of the UPS cargo plane that crashed in Louisville, Kentucky, killing all twelve people aboard. Federal investigators confirmed the aircraft suffered a critical engine failure shortly after takeoff, before erupting into flames and crashing into a field just outside the city. That flight wasn’t just another route on his logbook — it was the last leg before he was scheduled to fly to the city where Lane would play, change uniforms, and sit in the stands to watch the Eagles face the Packers this coming week.

“As long as you play, I’ll fly,” he once told Lane. He didn’t buy tickets or drive long distances; he arranged his schedule to fly to every stadium, building his flight plan around Lane’s career from the moment the Eagles drafted him in 2013. Through injuries, surgeries, suspensions, losing streaks, Super Bowl parades, new coaches, and new quarterbacks, he never missed a single kickoff. When Lane changed positions, his uncle changed runways. When Lane played through pain, his uncle’s cheers grew louder. When Philadelphia booed, he clapped alone in a green jacket. Thirteen seasons. Zero absences.

Now, for the first time in Lane’s NFL life, there will be an empty seat and a quiet sky — not because someone failed to show up, but because the world gave him no way to land. Lane told a teammate, “I used to point toward the box after the first drive. That was our code — ‘Wheels down. You made it.’ I don’t know where to point anymore.”

The Eagles say Lane will decide for himself whether he plays, and no one in the building is pushing him. Head coach Nick Sirianni said, “This isn’t about football. This is about a man grieving someone who literally never missed a landing until the world took the runway away.” Teammates describe him as calm on the outside but shattered within. One player said quietly, “He’s not playing for stats, a contract, or another Pro Bowl. He’s playing for the one person who never asked for anything in return — except effort — and never failed to show up.”

The stadium will still shake, the NFC matchup will still matter, and the broadcast will still hype Packers vs. Eagles. But for Lane Johnson, this will not feel like a rivalry game. It will be the first time in thirteen seasons he steps onto the field without the one man who never missed a single game — until the sky took him before he could come home.

Buccaneers Superstar Agrees to Restructure, Opening $7.4M in Cap Space Ahead of Trade Deadline

Tampa, FL – The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have completed a financial move that could determine their roster flexibility in 2025. With the November 4 trade deadline approaching, the team restructured the contract of a key offensive leader to create crucial cap room for late-window additions.

For the front office, the adjustment is about maximizing maneuverability: cap space is a scarce resource for a team still in the NFC playoff hunt, and this new room lets Tampa Bay be proactive with in-season signings, selective extensions, or even last-minute trades if the right opportunity appears.

For the player involved, the restructure does not affect guaranteed money; it simply redistributes compensation over the life of the deal — an accounting tool teams across the league are deploying with increasing frequency. The Bay just got a breakthrough as quarterback 

Baker Mayfield initiated a self-driven financial reset, cutting his 2025 earnings to create $7.4 million in cap flexibility before Tuesday’s trade buzzer.

Mayfield — along with franchise staples Mike Evans and Tristan Wirfs — was part of the financial framework, but only the former No. 1 pick volunteered the true cut, reducing his 

$15.2 million base salary to $9.8 million while converting $5.4 million in bonus money into a three-year proration of $1.8 million per season.

“That’s who Bake is — edge, leadership, stubborn loyalty, no spotlight needed,” head coach Todd Bowles said, voice firm. “One move like that? It’s fuel for a locker room chasing respect.”

The restructure pushes Tampa Bay’s available cap from $6.6 million to $14.0 million (per Over The Cap), giving GM Jason Licht options for a downhill power back, a rotational pass rusher, or a veteran nickel to stabilize coverage after injuries to Calijah Kancey (knee) and Jamel Dean (hamstring).

Mayfield’s sacrifice also functions as a schematic unlock — keeping defenses from overloading Mike Evans, preserving play-action rhythm for Bucky Irving, and giving OC Liam Coen breathing room to maintain tempo without forcing 40-attempt shootouts every Sunday.

No glitter, no campaign — just calculation. The $7.4 million cushion keeps Tampa in range for a Brian Burns–type edge or a Derrick Henry–style closer, without blowing up the 2026 plan when Wirfs’ extension hits the cap.

Red & Pewter Nation moves forward: one restructure, one reload, one more cannon fired at Lombardi justice.