Fred Johnson's Release Underscores the Eagles' Personal Gong Show

It turns out that the veteran OT's gong had a shorter shelf life than A.J. Dillon’s infamous positivity bunny.

It's starting to feel like we're back in the 1970s as the Eagles' personal "Gong Show" continues. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

PHILADELPHIA, P.A. — For younger readers, "The Gong Show" was a somewhat iconic television game show from the 1970s in which often bizarre, eccentric and untrained amateur contestants performed on stage while a panel of three celebrity judges watched.

If a judge disliked an act, they would strike a massive brass gong with a wooden mallet to abruptly end the performance.

The always-interesting Fred Johnson recently introduced the percussion instrument into the Eagles' locker room to liven things up during what’s turned into a seven-game skid for an organization not used to losing.

Turns out Johnson’s gong had a shorter shelf life than A.J. Dillon’s infamous positivity bunny.

The big man eventually moved the gong into the offensive line room, but now both Johnson and his new toy will be filing a change of address form.

The last figurative clang of Johnson’s gong signaled the Eagles' waiving of a pair of veteran offensive players Friday: wide receiver Hollywood Brown and Johnson, the team’s proven swing tackle.

We have waived WR Marquise Brown and T Fred Johnson. pic.twitter.com/S4ieutMSfU

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) November 13, 2026

Eagles' personal gong show just got judged

Neither player figured into the organization’s 2027 plans, so the decisions highlight the end of any realistic push for the 2026 postseason and a clear shift toward the continued evaluation of younger players who have an opportunity to be part of the solution moving forward.

The actual reasons for moving on are slightly different. With starting receivers DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and Dontayvion Wicks (ankle) set to return from injuries after the Eagles’ bye week, there wasn’t going to be much playing time for Brown.

An NFL source confirmed to Eagles On SI that Brown wanted to move on, and Philadelphia agreed after working out a non-injury settlement. In other words, Brown agreed to give back some of the $5 million he was guaranteed back in March for the opportunity to seek more playing time elsewhere, perhaps with a playoff contender.

Johnson, 29, is a little bit different. He has been a reliable swing tackle and backup for the Eagles in recent seasons and has garnered plenty of playing time since first joining the organization in late 2022.

Johnson contributed during the Super Bowl LIX-winning 2024 campaign (primarily filling in at left tackle for an injured Jordan Mailata) and logged a career-high 626 regular-season snaps in 2025 while starting nine games, mostly in relief of Lane Johnson.

After the Super Bowl season, Johnson left in free agency for an opportunity to compete for a starting job in Jacksonville. That didn’t work out, and the Eagles sent a seventh-round pick to the Jags to get him back just before the start of the 2025 season.   

If it were a strict meritocracy, Johnson likely would have taken over at right tackle after Lane Johnson’s in-season retirement. Instead, the Eagles went with upside, inserting third-round rookie Markel Bell.

Fred Johnson appeared in seven games this season with only 24 offensive snaps, many of them as an extra tight end in a jumbo package.

The Eagles entered their bye week at 2-7, last in the NFC East and mired in a seven-game skid. The team’s playoff odds have effectively evaporated, even in a weak NFL East. 

Roster-building shift

In that context, cutting a veteran with no long-term roster value—and no trade value after the deadline—frees a spot on the 53-man roster while the evaluation of Bell continues.

These moves fit a broader pattern of roster pruning during the downtime of the bye. Earlier in the week, the Eagles also waived running back Jaydon Blue and traded defensive tackle Jordan Davis, opening multiple spots. 

The organization can now promote or claim developmental players from practice squads. In-house, John Ojukwu, Kiran Amegadjie and Evan Neal could factor in as swing-tackle options behind Mailata and Bell.

For Johnson, the departure closes a productive chapter in Philadelphia. He took to Instagram after the news with a simple thank-you to the city, posting a photo from the Super Bowl celebration. 

The Eagles return to action on Nov. 22 against the Steelers. By then, the roster will reflect a more explicit developmental priority—an acknowledgment that the corner on 2026 has been turned and the focus has shifted primarily to the future.

Essentially, the Eagles' 2026 season just got gonged.

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