Brandon Graham

Eagles DE Brandon Graham Retires

March 18th, 2025 at 11:06pm CST by Adam La Rose

In the wake of the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory, it remained unclear if Brandon Graham would retire. As expected, though, the 15-year veteran has elected to hang up his cleats.

Graham announced during a Tuesday press conference that he is retiring. This past summer, he indicated the 2024 campaign would be his last, and as a result his decorated Philadelphia run appeared to be over when he suffered a biceps tear in November. The 36-year-old managed to return in time for Super Bowl LIX, however, and he played a rotational role in the team’s victory.

“I could not be happier with the way my career played out, the love I’ve gotten, and the success the Eagles have had as an organization,” Graham said. “For real, it has been a dream come true.”

A first-round pick in 2010, Graham only occupied a rotational role for the first three years of his career. He was a mainstay along the edge for six straight seasons after that, however, a period which included his first Super Bowl win. A Graham forced fumble during the fourth quarter of that contest was key in the Eagles’ win.

The Michigan product was limited to only two games in 2021, the first season of his final multi-year contract. Graham played out one-year pacts in 2023 and ’24 with questions about his future looming. The most productive campaign of his career (in terms of sacks) came in 2022 with 11, a sign of his continued importance during the waning stages of his career. While his playing time dropped to the level of a rotational contributor rather than a full-time starter in recent years, Graham remained a key presence on and off the field for Philadelphia.

Pursuing another one-year arrangement with the Eagles would have involved considerable rehab in advance of the 2025 campaign. Graham re-tore his triceps during his second Super Bowl victory, a factor he likely considered when weighing his options for the future. A report in the wake of last month’s win noted he would take his time before making a formal decision, one which is now officially in place. Graham has followed fellow ‘Core Four’ Eagles Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox in retirement. The lone member of that group still set to play is right tackle Lane Johnson, who inked a one-year extension yesterday.

With this retirement decision looming and Josh Sweat expectedly departing in free agency, edge rush has a been a position of note this offseason for the Eagles in recent days. The team is reportedly open to trading Bryce Huff, whose big-ticket 2024 free agent deal did not pan out as hoped. Philadelphia’s pass-rush group includes Nolan Smith for the short- and long-term future, along with free agent additions Josh Uche and Azeez Ojulari. Graham’s absence will be acutely felt as the team looks to defend its title next season.

“Without question, Brandon Graham is the embodiment of everything you would want in a Philadelphia Eagle,” a statement from owner Jeffrey Lurie reads in part. “He’s a special player and a special person. It’s only fitting that he has played in more games than anyone else in the history of our franchise… We could not be prouder of the player, person, and family man that Brandon has become.

“On behalf of the Philadelphia Eagles, we congratulate Brandon on an incredible career and wish him and his family all the best in retirement.”

Graham’s 206 games played top the field for all Eagles players, and his 76.5 career sacks rank third in franchise history. With over $98MM in career earnings and a pair of Super Bowls to his name, he will now turn his attention to his post-playing days.

Brandon Graham Re-Tore Triceps In Super Bowl LIX

March 6th, 2025 at 10:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

Brandon Graham has not confirmed his retirement just yet, but if the longest-tenured player in Eagles history wants to keep playing, he appears to need another lengthy rehab process.

After making it back from a Week 12 triceps tear to play in Super Bowl LIX, Graham is believed to have suffered the same injury during that game. Graham re-tore his triceps in the Eagles’ blowout win, 97.5 The Fanatic’s Derrick Gunn reports.

This familiar injury has already resulted in surgery, Gunn added during an appearance on 97.5’s Kincade & Salciunas. Graham played 13 defensive snaps in the game, recording one solo tackle. Graham was not part of the Eagles’ sack binge, which played the lead role in the two-time reigning champion Chiefs being overpowered, but he served as an inspirational presence after coming back from an apparent season-ending injury.

Graham, 36, confirmed he had sustained a triceps tear during an Eagles regular-season win over the Rams. This was widely expected to knock him out for the season, due to the late-November juncture in which it occurred, but rumblings about Graham being able to come back if Philadelphia booked another Super Bowl trip emerged soon after.

The Eagles designated Graham for return after the NFC championship game, and he impressed in practice to the point the NFC champs made the decision to elevate the 15-year veteran to the 53-man roster. They then made Bryce Huff a healthy scratch for Super Bowl LIX, offering a rough conclusion to the underwhelming free agency addition’s first season in Philly. The Eagles had given Huff a three-year, $51.1MM deal as their highest-paid 2024 free agent. Huff’s 2025 money is guaranteed.

Graham, however, is not under contract, joining key Philly pass rushers Sweat and Milton Williams in that regard. He said shortly after the Super Bowl he would discuss retirement with his family. The 2010 first-round pick, who now has two Super Bowl rings and three Super Bowl appearances, said before training camp he was planning to retire at season’s end. Going out with a second championship and needing another round of rehab would seemingly point to retirement, but the Michigan alum made a surprise journey back from his last tear.

After signing two straight one-year deals in March, the most recent for $4MM, Graham may need more time to determine if another Eagles deal makes sense. The organization may feel the same. For now, Graham is going through a familiar rehab process after the second half of his season took a strange turn.

Brandon Graham To Contemplate Retirement; Mekhi Becton Open To Remaining With Eagles

February 10th, 2025 at 10:18pm CST by Adam La Rose

Brandon Graham managed to rehab in time to play in last night’s Super Bowl. The Eagles stalwart may well have played his final game in New Orleans on Sunday, but a final decision has yet to be made on the retirement front.

Graham said in July he would hang up his cleats after the 2024 campaign was over. This past season represented his 15th with the organization, something which is without precedent in Eagles history. As a result, it appeared the 36-year-old’s NFL tenure was over when he suffered a triceps tear in November. Graham did not confirm his retirement plans at that point, and that remained the case this past weekend.

The former first-rounder is expected to take roughly one week to contemplate his future, as noted by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (video link). A retirement decision would come as no surprise in the wake of his second career Super Bowl victory, but it would mark another major loss for the Eagles in terms of experience. Two of the franchise’s ‘Core Four’ players (Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox) retired last offseason, leaving Graham and Lane Johnson in the fold.

There is now a strong chance Philadelphia’s right tackle starter will be the final remaining member of the team’s decorated quartet. If Graham – who signed a two-year pact in 2021 and inked one-year deals for 2023 and ’24 – does indeed call it a career, the Eagles will have a notable void along the edge. With over $98MM in career earnings and now a pair of titles, though, he certainly has cause to turn down the chance of playing in 2025 to begin his post-playing days.

Another pending Eagles free agent is right guard Mekhi Becton. The former Jets first-rounder struggled with injuries during his New York tenure, and his first trip to the open market resulted in only a $2.75MM pact on a one-year Eagles commitment. The decision to move Becton inside to guard (after seeing time at both tackle spots) proved to be effective, as he handled starting duties all season and thrived in that role.

As a result, the 25-year-old is on track to have a much stronger free agent market this time around. Garafolo notes Becton seems to be open to a new Eagles contract, although a raise will obviously be needed for that to be feasible. As the team begins its offseason preparation in the wake of its Super Bowl LIX victory, Graham and Becton will be among the players worth monitoring over the coming days and weeks.

Final Transactions Of The 2024 NFL Season; Eagles Activate DE Brandon Graham From IR

February 9th, 2025 at 4:28pm CST by Ely Allen

FEBARUARY 9: With Graham active for tonight, Huff is amongst the Eagles’ healthy scratches. The latter had played in two of Philadelphia’s postseason games, and after signing a $17MM-per-year pact the fact he is not in the team’s Super Bowl lineup is a rather notable development. Most of Huff’s 2025 compensation is guaranteed, but his next action for Philadelphia will come next year.

FEBRUARY 8: The biggest game of the year will take place tomorrow night as the Chiefs are looking to threepeat for the first time in NFL history. The Eagles, on the other hand, are looking to avenge their Super Bowl loss to Patrick Mahomes and company from just two years ago. As has been the case all year, each team is allowed to elevate two players from their practice squad. Philadelphia has also taken the additional step to activate defensive end Brandon Graham from injured reserve.

Graham suffered a triceps tear in November, and it immediately became clear that he would not play again during the regular season. Triceps tears come with lengthy recovery timetables, and the 36-year-old said in the aftermath of the game in which his took place that he would be out for the rest of the year. As the season went on and the postseason drew nearer, hope began to rise that Graham would be able to make a return if the Eagles could last long enough to play in the Super Bowl.

To add on to that, Graham, who has spent his entire 15-year tenure in Philadelphia, said in July that he would retire following the 2024 campaign. If he is going to hold true to his word, he needed the team to keep winning in order to play one more game in green.

Luckily for Graham, his team held up their end of the bargain, and now, he’ll be able to hold up his. A Graham comeback will be significant for the Eagles, who have dealt with injuries to both he and Bryce Huff this season. Huff has since returned, though he is playing behind starters Josh Sweat and Nolan Smith in Vic Fangio‘s defense. At the time of his injury, Graham had already topped his 2023 full-season totals for sacks and QB hits in 11 games this season. The longest-tenured player in Eagles history was sitting on 3.5 and seven, respectively, in those categories when he went down against the Rams.

In order to make room on the roster, the Eagles have placed backup center Nick Gates on injured reserve. For their two practice squad callups, the Eagles have tabbed fullback Khari Blasingame and linebacker Nicholas Morrow. Blasingame has been elevated for all three of the team’s playoff games so far, while Morrow has been elevated for each of the last two.

The Chiefs only made standard gameday practice squad elevations today. Linebacker Swayze Bozeman and cornerback Steven Nelson will join the active roster for the final game of the season. Bozeman has played in two playoff games already for Kansas City, while Nelson will be making his 2024 debut.

Eagles Designate Brandon Graham, C.J. Uzomah For Return

February 5th, 2025 at 11:56am CST by Sam Robinson

FEBRUARY 5: Graham views it as likely he will suit up for a third Super Bowl. It should be expected the Eagles activate Graham by Saturday’s deadline, as the 15th-year defensive end said (via FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz) he is on track to play against the Chiefs.

JANUARY 30: Viewed as likely to miss the rest of the season upon suffering a torn triceps muscle in November, Brandon Graham held out hope for a return if the Eagles booked a Super Bowl trip. Now that Super Bowl LIX will feature Philadelphia, the Eagles will see about a potential comeback.

Graham, who had said before this season he would retire after it wrapped, will practice Thursday. The Eagles designated the 15th-year defensive end and tight end C.J. Uzomah for return. Additionally, the Eagles signed running back Lew Nichols to their practice squad and released tight end Nick Muse.

A Graham comeback would be significant for the Eagles, who have dealt with injuries to both he and Bryce Huff this season. Huff has since returned, though he is playing behind starters Josh Sweat and Nolan Smith in Vic Fangio‘s defense. Graham, 36, had already topped his 2023 full-season totals for sacks and QB hits in 11 games this season. The longest-tenured player in Eagles history was sitting on 3.5 and seven, respectively, in those categories when he went down against the Rams.

As PFR’s coaching trackers have become more prominent, revisiting our IR Return Tracker shows the Eagles with four IR activations left. Teams received two more in the playoffs this year, marking a change from the NFL’s 2022 and ’23 setups under its current format. Graham and Uzomah join return man Britain Covey in the practice window. The team will not activate defensive lineman Byron Young, whose practice window expired this week.

Philly has not produced the prolific sack numbers it carried into Super Bowl LVII, but Fangio’s defense has improved significantly from where it was under Sean Desai and Matt Patricia last season. The Eagles led the league in yards allowed and finished second in scoring. While the Chiefs have not closely reminded of their 2022 offense this season, only eclipsing 30 points one time, the Patrick Mahomes-led unit proved it still had firepower last week by hanging 32 on the Bills. The Eagles having one more pass-rushing option could be significant, as the Chiefs have proven historically reliable in close games.

The Eagles re-signed Graham on a one-year, $4MM deal last March. Having broken Chuck Bednarik‘s record for service time as an Eagle, Graham said to start training camp he would make this season his last. After the injury, Graham was less definitive. But returning in time for the Super Bowl could provide a fitting conclusion — well, should it go the Eagles’ way.

Graham, of course, delivered his signature play in a Super Bowl by forcing a Tom Brady fumble to set up Philly’s game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl LII. The Patriots entered that game having qualified for seven straight conference championships; the Chiefs are now riding the same streak, and the Eagles are all that stand in the way of Kansas City becoming the first team to win three straight Super Bowls. That stands to make a potential Graham return a closely monitored situation.

Uzomah sustained an abdominal injury in Week 17. The former Bengals Super Bowl starter has not played a regular role with the Eagles. A Jets cap casualty in 2024, Uzomah has played in seven Eagles games but has not caught a pass. He would serve as depth behind Dallas Goedert and Grant Calcaterra.

Brandon Graham Could Return If Eagles Reach Super Bowl

December 17th, 2024 at 9:44am CST by Adam La Rose

When Brandon Graham suffered a triceps tear in November, it became clear he would not play again during the regular season. His Eagles tenure and NFL career may very well be over as a result, but the veteran defensive end has not completely shut the door to a return this winter.

Graham has spent his entire 15-year tenure in Philadelphia, and he said in July he would retire following the 2024 campaign. Triceps tears come with lengthy recovery timetables, and the 36-year-old said in the aftermath of the game in which his took place he would out for the rest of the year. During a Tuesday appearance on WIP 94, though, Graham was asked about playing in the Super Bowl should the Eagles make it to the championship game.

“Anything is possible, so that’s how I’m gonna feel,” he replied. “Just know we workin’ trying to see what happens. We got to get there. Guess I’ll be ready to tell you when we get there.”

With their winning streak currently sitting at 10, the Eagles are 12-2 on the year. That record leaves the team level with the Lions and Vikings for the best mark in the NFC, and the final three weeks of the season will determine which one will secure the No. 1 seed. If they continue their strong performances through the postseason, the Eagles could very well find themselves in the Super Bowl for the third time in Graham’s career.

Philadelphia won the title in 2017, one of the years in which he served as a full-time starter along the edge. The former first-rounder has remained durable through much of his Philadelphia tenure, although in recent years he has seen his workload decline with the team bringing in younger options along the edge. Graham’s presence has nevertheless been missed as the Eagles have dealt with other injuries at the position.

Bryce Huff is on injured reserve while recovering from wrist surgery, a procedure which interrupted his debut Philadelphia campaign. The high-priced free agent pickup did not live up to expectations prior to suffering the injury, but he could return before the end of the regular season and handle at least a part-time pass rushing role. If the Eagles manage to put together a deep postseason run, Graham’s recovery status will become a storyline worth following.

Eagles Claim Charles Harris, Place Brandon Graham On IR

November 26th, 2024 at 3:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

Having lost defensive end regulars Brandon Graham and Bryce Huff in the span of a few days, the Eagles are using the waiver wire for help. They are keeping Charles Harris out of free agency.

The Eagles will claim the veteran edge rusher after his Panthers cut, PHLY.com’s Zach Berman reports. Tied to a veteran-minimum salary, Harris will be due barely $400K for the season’s remainder. Philadelphia is placing Graham on IR to clear space for Harris.

Harris, 29, was the Panthers’ co-leader in sacks (three) this season. Carolina had seen its EDGE situation stabilize, to a degree, with D.J. Wonnum debuting after an extended rehab journey. Harris started six games for the Panthers this season but had seen his playing time dip with Wonnum back alongside Jadeveon Clowney.

The six starts were Harris’ most since 2021. The former Miami first-rounder had spent three seasons in Detroit, working as a spot starter as the Dan Campbell– and Brad Holmes-driven rebuild formed. Harris totaled 7.5 sacks for a 3-13-1 Lions team in 2021 but combined for just 2.5 over the next two seasons. After a regular Panthers role, it would seem more likely Harris settles in as a Eagles rotational backup.

Philly had a deep D-end contingent heading into Week 11 but decided to place Huff on IR due to a wrist injury. Huff is expected back late this season, but Graham is not. Although Graham sacked Matthew Stafford on Sunday night, he did not finish the game. The first 15-year Eagle in franchise history, Graham said postgame he suffered a triceps tear that is likely to keep him out for the rest of the season. Graham, 36, had said in July this would be his final campaign; though, he stopped short of confirming that when asked again Sunday night.

Harris joins a DE group that still houses a healthy Josh Sweat, with 2023 first-rounder Nolan Smith and rookie third-round Jalyx Hunt also in the mix. The waiver claim will become the fourth DE on Philly’s 53-man roster. Hunt has only played 66 defensive snaps this season. Either his workload expands by a notable margin or the Eagles plug Harris in after his run as a Panthers regular.

Brandon Graham Suffers Triceps Tear

November 24th, 2024 at 11:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Brandon Graham made Eagles history this year, becoming the first player in franchise history to suit up for a 15th season with the franchise. The 36-year-old edge rusher also made an impact in Sunday night’s game, but it is now expected to be his last this season — and potentially his final NFL contest.

Following the game, Graham said (via ESPN.com’s Tim McManus) he suffered a triceps tear. This injury regularly shelves players for extended periods, and while it may be slightly premature to deem Graham done for the season, he went as far as to proclaim his campaign is over.

While this injury comes for an Eagles team that just lost Bryce Huff for a period due to a wrist injury. Huff landed on IR this week but is expected back later this season. For the time being, an Eagles team flush with D-end investments will be shorthanded.

As for Graham, it is fair to speculate on whether Sunday night will be his NFL finale. The Eagles have continued to sign the 2010 first-round pick to one-year contracts, and he put off retirement to play a 15th season this year. Graham said this offseason he would retire after the 2024 season, though he did not confirm that when asked postgame.

Graham left the Eagles’ Week 12 win over the Rams during the fourth quarter. He sacked Matthew Stafford once and compiled three QB hits in Philadelphia’s convincing road victory. If Graham’s season is over, he finishes with 3.5 sacks and seven QB hits in 11 games. The Eagles have Josh Sweat and Nolan Smith still healthy on the edge, and the team drafted Jalyx Hunt in Round 3 this year. The Eagles regularly pour premium assets into their lines, but the 9-2 team is now down two regulars.

The Eagles re-upped Graham on a one-year, $4MM deal in March. This came when the club’s “Core Four” split via the retirements of Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox. Graham and Lane Johnson remain, though it has been expected the quartet would lose another member after this season. Steve Smith famously put off retirement because he suffered an injury in what was to be his exit year (2015), but it remains to be seen how Graham will handle his own late-career setback.

Drafted before the other three core Eagles linemen, Graham has 79 sacks for his career. This does not include the Super Bowl LII takedown of Tom Brady, a forced fumble that became one of the most iconic plays in Eagles history. The sequence led to the Eagles staving off the Patriots and winning their lone Super Bowl and celebrating their first championship since 1960.

Graham has started 106 games but has settled in as a rotational rusher, accumulating a career-high 11 sacks during the 2022 season — an NFC championship campaign that nearly broke the 1984 Bears’ single-season sack record of 72. The Eagles finished with 70 sacks that year. Tonight marked the Michigan alum’s 206th as an Eagle — 13 more than the next-closest player (Kelce). Graham broke Chuck Bednarik‘s mark by playing a 15th season with the franchise.

Philly let Haason Reddick seek a trade, preceding what turned out to be a messy year for the accomplished sack artist, and Sweat is due for free agency in 2025. The team has Graham in place as an apparent stopgap, given his offseason retirement comments, and Huff has seen his role diminish despite signing a three-year, $51.1MM deal. It will be interesting to see how Philly goes about reassembling its pass-rushing puzzle following its two recent setbacks, and monitoring Graham’s future plans — which appear less clear now — will be necessary in the coming months.

Eagles’ Brandon Graham To Retire After 2024 Season

July 25th, 2024 at 8:44am CST by Adam La Rose

The Eagles saw two members of their ‘Core Four’ retire following the 2023 season. Center Jason Kelce and defensive tackle Fletcher Cox have elected to hang up their cleats, but defensive end Brandon Graham will play out one more year in Philadelphia.

The latter confirmed at the start of training camp that 2024 will be the final year of his decorated career. Graham, 36, worked out a one-year, $4MM deal in March. That pact came as no surprise given the mutual interest which existed on a final campaign being spent with the only organization he has played for.

“Last first day as a player. I don’t know what the future holds with the organization,” Graham said when speaking to the media (via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk). “It’s my last year, so just trying to soak it all in, trying to enjoy every day.”

The former first-rounder made it clear in the aftermath of the Eagles’ wild-card loss in January he (along with right tackle Lane Johnson) intended to continue playing in 2024. Graham already holds the franchise record for games played (195), and suiting up for the coming campaign will make him the first Eagle to play 15 seasons with the organization. He will look to add to his personal accolades this year in addition to winning a second Super Bowl.

Graham served as a starter along the edge from 2015-21, but over the past two seasons he has seen his playing time drop. The Michigan product logged a snap share of 43% in 2022, and that figure fell to 34% last year. The Eagles have Josh Sweat and free agent addition Bryce Huff in place as projected starters at the defensive end spot, along with 2023 first-rounder Nolan Smith positioned to take on an increased workload.

While plenty will be expected of that trio, Graham will continue to contribute in a rotational capacity this season. He posted only three sacks last year, but the 2022 campaign saw him set a career high in that department with 11. Regardless of what happens on the field in 2024, Graham will look to find a role in the organization once he officially hangs up his cleats.

Eagles Re-Sign DE Brandon Graham

March 9th, 2024 at 10:43am CST by Ben Levine

Brandon Graham is sticking around Philadelphia for a 15th season. The team announced that they’ve re-signed the veteran defensive end to a one-year extension.

There were rumblings earlier this week that the two sides were working towards a new deal, and Graham confirmed his plan to re-sign with the Eagles the other day.

There was some speculation that the veteran could call it a career following the Eagles’ disappointing end to the 2023 campaign. However, the defensive lineman was quick to dismiss that notion, stating that he still has a “little bit of juice” left in his tank. Graham also expressed interest in a farewell tour, an indication that 2024 will likely mark his final NFL season.

When he takes the field in 2024, Graham will set the record for the longest tenure with the Eagles organization. He tied Philly legend Chuck Bednarik by playing a 14th season with the team last year. Graham set another franchise mark last season, passing David Akers for the most games played in Eagles history.

Once one of the Eagles’ most dependable starters, Graham has transitioned to a backup role in recent seasons. He only started one of his 17 appearances in 2022, appearing in 43 percent of his team’s defensive snaps. Still, the former first-round pick managed to compile 11 sacks, earning him a one-year, $5MM extension last offseason.

He continued to serve as a backup for Haason Reddick and Josh Sweat in 2023, appearing in all 17 games. However, he was limited to only 395 defensive snaps; ignoring his two-game stint in 2021, that was Graham’s lowest total since 2013. Despite the drop in playing time, Pro Football Focus still ranked Graham 17th among 118 qualifying edge defenders.

The future of the Eagles’ pass-rushing corps is in doubt, as both Reddick and Sweat are reportedly on the trade block. The organization could be eyeing a new and/or inexperienced edge grouping in 2024, highlighted by 2023 first-round pick Nolan Smith. In that scenario, Graham’s veteran know-how will certainly come in handy as the team transitions to new defensive leaders.

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