American football is possibly one of the most dangerous sports in the world. It’s a high-intensity contact sport with a mere routine collision between two players recording a whopping force of 30-40 g’s. To put things into perspective, an Air Force pilot experiences a force of 10 g’s when he makes a tight turn in his fighter jet. For most of us, watching football on our TV sets rarely tells us the severity of the hits these players endure in every game.
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Hence, it’s normal that every professional football player is built like a brick and possibly one of the strongest people you will ever encounter. They most likely won’t cut it in the league if they aren’t. To adapt to the game’s brutality, NFL players need to train tough, and a recent freakshow of strength training by Eagles OT Lane Johnson is the perfect proof of that.
In a video posted by the NFL’s social media handle on X (formerly Twitter), Philadelphia Eagles veteran offensive tackle Lane Johnson can be seen working out with a whopping 705 lbs of weight. The offensive tackle in the video is seen doing a farmer’s walk with 705lbs on a hex bar. The exercise is an excellent cardiovascular challenge used by many as part of their endurance training. A farmer’s walk requires one to walk with weights on both hands like a farmer does in his field.
705 is nothing for @LaneJohnson65
(via rooksperformance/IG) pic.twitter.com/wUw0LJSVlX
— NFL (@NFL) March 7, 2024
It can be said with certainties that executing a Farmer’s Walk with 705 lbs is truly on a different level. The NFL world was in awe of Johnson’s strength and hence took to X to share their awe.
that’s a unit.
— fatty patty (@theonlydyl_) March 7, 2024
also he looks like Zangief from Street Fighter 2 pic.twitter.com/K36ioFY8Cn
— The Rational Football League Show (@TheRFLShow) March 7, 2024
A few sections of the fans had the epiphany that this is why he has the strength to hold off defenders in every snap.
He’s holding those weights just like he holds defensive players on every snap
— Drew Davison (@Drew_Davison19) March 8, 2024
He’s allowed to hold onto that bar as long as he does defenders
— Knowledge (@Tchuk_Norris_79) March 7, 2024
A fan also complimented Johnson for how fit he looked shirtless. The fan pointed out how chunky linemen look on the field, but it’s quite the opposite in real life.
It’s crazy how in uniform lineman look chunky but they’re really fit athletes. Not to mention 300+ fit
— Nick Jones (@TheeNickJones) March 7, 2024
Safe to say, Lane Johnson’s build and strength have stunned many. He is truly a freak of nature who can lift these freaky weights because of his even more freakish physical attributes.
Lane Johnson — An Absolute Beast
Lane Johnson is truly a physical specimen. Built at 6’6, the Philadelphia Eagles star weighs a whopping 325 lbs, per Pro Football Reference. His body has the build of a powerlifter required for his position. This was also evident from the strength he displayed with his 705-pound lift. But does it qualify for the Guinness World Record? No. Usually, the key metric to gauge a Farmer’s lift is the distance that a weightlifter can carry the weights.
The World Record for a Farmer’s Walk is currently held by Ben Haldon from the UK, who did a Farmer’s Walk of 100 lbs for the farthest distance in a time frame of 24 hours! While Johnson didn’t walk for a longer duration, the fact that he has the strength to lift 705 lbs in itself is a massive feat.
Before Johnson’s freak show, Jason Kelce, at 6’3 and 295 lbs [as per Pro Football Reference], was the powerhouse of the team. He has since hung up his cleats, and will potentially be replaced by Cam Jurgens, who stands towering at 6’3″ just like Jason but is 8 pounds heavier. Fret not Eagles Nation, the franchise is in safe hands, and surely they will make it past the Wild Card Round this season.