Lane Johnson shocked the NFL world when he suddenly announced his retirement last week. The ex-Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle said that he wanted to focus on his mental health and also take care of his family.
After his announcement, Stephen A. Smith came forward to discuss the situation and seemingly mocked Johnson's reasons. Smith later issued an apology after facing backlash. However, for ex-NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens, this was not enough. On the "Get to the Point" podcast, he demanded stricter action against the ESPN personality.
"I don't understand how there's not any consequences to Stephen A. Smith's, especially with ESPN and Disney being the corporation, the business entity that they are," Owens said. "To speak so insensitively with a topic like mental health, the way he did, why isn't he suspended? For him to speak so recklessly to a guy and then try to backtrack and say he's had mental health issues.
If you knew that, then you're smart enough to not speak on something that is affecting millions of people and is a very sensitive topic. But to feel like you have a microphone and a platform and be reckless with your words, … He's never played football. Maybe his mental is not the same as a football player's mental. His stresses or whatever he's going through to get to where he is, sitting behind a desk getting paid by ESPN, don't compare to what a football player has to deal with."
After his initial apology, Smith addressed the controversy again on "First Take," admitting that he should be more careful with his words on such sensitive topics.
"Bottom line is this, doesn't matter what my intent was, it was how it was received," Smith said. "Here's the reality of the situation: I was wrong. And when you're an adult, and you're a man, you have to admit that you were wrong.
"I was wrong to Lane Johnson. I was wrong to the Philadelphia Eagles. I messed up because I made light of the issue of mental health."
Terrell Owens was not the only one who criticized Stephen A. Smith for downplaying Lane Johnson's retirement reasons.
Analyst Jason Whitlock did not shy away from calling out the ESPN personality on social media.
"This is what a person sounds like when they were handed a college degree and multiple career opportunities they did not earn," Whitlock wrote. "This is what a person sounds like when they've never competed at athletics but have been allowed to lie about it for decades."
Lane Johnson spent 14 seasons playing for the Philadelphia Eagles. He won two Super Bowl championships with the franchise and was honored as a two-time All-Pro.
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