Love, Trust And Coaching: The Rebuild Of Eagles' OT Fred Johnson

Eagles OL coach Jeff Stoutland found a way to reach an angry Fred Johnson.

Philadelphia Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland during pregame warmups against the Cleveland Browns at Lincoln Financial Field. / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA - Fred Johnson isn't a marquee member of the star-studded Philadelphia Eagles roster. Turns out the 6-foot-7, 326-pound swing tackle is among the most interesting and compelling stories.

In late August after securing his spot on the Eagles' 53-man roster, the sixth-year pro opened up about the struggles of his NFL career and how well-regarded Philadelphia offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland refused to give up on a diamond in the rough despite the kicking and screaming along the way.

“I was on the practice squad,” Johnson reminisced about his introduction to Stoutland and the Eagles in November of 2022. “I was mad at everybody. I was mad at any and everybody.”

Eagles OT Fred Johnson arrives at practice with teammate Isaiah Rodgers on Aug. 28, 2024. / John McMullen/Eagles on SI

Johnson's angst had built after failed attempts at gaining a foothold in Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and Tampa despite the obvious advantages of size and the athleticism he brings to the table despite that size.

In most instances, arriving in November on what turned out to be a Super Bowl roster to be tutored by one of the most well-respected assistant coaches in the NFL could easily be spun as a welcome break for most players.

Johnson had become jaded, though.

“When I got here, I was so hard-headed, I ain’t want to listen to nobody, especially Stout,” Johnson explained.

Stoutland thinks like a teacher first and showed off his superpower as a coach with a student who wanted to be left alone to collect a paycheck.

“Stout just said, ‘No, I’m not going to quit on you, I’m not going to give up on you,’" said Johnson. "And that’s just something I appreciated him the most for. Because I was on my way out of the league when I got here."

Johnson admitted he got to Philadelphia with the idea of flying under the radar as a low-key member of the practice squad only to find a boss who treated him the same way he did the starters, including All-Pro-level veterans Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson.

“He earned my trust by just never giving up on me,” Fred Johnson said. “Just day in and day out. I was on practice squad, he was coaching me like I was a starter. I got tired of it. I’m like, ‘Please stop.’”

Stoutland was never going to stop, of course.

Eagles on SI asked the veteran coach about Johnson's comments on Friday at the NovaCare Complex.

"A couple people actually told me [about the comments]. I didn't see the thing or hear the video, or whatever, but the thing that I believe in as the coach, and maybe this is my secret, so I don't know. ... I only get, like a certain amount of time with somebody and for me to show that player what he can become.

"... I don't know if some of these guys were ever spoken to that way or were ever shown that you could be this. You really could, but it requires unbelievable effort, unbelievable detail in the stuff that I'm coaching."

The transformation in Johnson has become obvious and it starts with attitude.

“This year, ‘Stout, whatever you need, I’m here, I’m ready. I’m ready to go.’ We don’t need to do no more coach me up, no babysitting, no 'gotta get Fred ready to go today.' I’m ready whenever you need me," Johnson said.

"I think for Fred, he was able to see some of the things that we're talking about, and maybe I was relating to him or coaching him in a way that was different, I don't know, but he's very talented, very talented player, and he needed to see what he could be," Stoutland surmised.

That visualization unlocked something in Johnson and it might be a different path with a separate personality for Stoutland when it comes to unlocking potential.

There is a theme to all the avenues: trust.

“Even now, he still tells me, ‘I love you. You’re doing great things,’” Johnson said. “And then he’ll throw in his little two cents of what could get better, what could be better. It’s just the light of where I take the coaching. It’s not he’s trying to belittle me or tear me down.

"He’s trying to build me up.”

"I told him, 'Listen, I need you to trust me and not be offended when I coach you. I'm not against you. I love you. I want you to be the best.' And I think once we had that mutual agreement, he kind of took off," Stoutland said.

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