Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham said in July that he’d be retiring following the 2024 campaign.
Now, amid a strong start to the season, the 36-year-old is reconsidering his decision.
“Honestly, I’m going to stay ready just for one more year,” Graham said, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Reuben Frank. “Just in case if a situation popped up where it’s like, ‘OK, they need me.’ But right now I’m just trying to get through this year and enjoy it as much as I can. And hopefully make a bunch of plays to help the team and help (my teammates) get to their next level.”
Per Frank’s report, the one-time Pro Bowler is the franchise’s oldest defensive player in 17 years but has been the Eagles’ most productive edge-rusher this season “by far.”
Graham has played in all three of Philadelphia’s games and taken over half of the available defensive snaps with 95 (52 percent), plus 14 snaps on special teams. He recorded two tackles and one quarterback hit during the Eagles’ 15-12 win against the New Orleans Saints in Week 3 on Sunday.
“Either way, I’m going to be a part of whatever they’re doing next year. As a player, who knows? But I might stay ready another year depending on how everything goes this year,” Graham said. “I just want to be able to help in whatever role because I know where they’re going right now and I want to be a part of that.”
According to Frank’s report, at 36 years, 176 days, the 2010 first-round pick is the oldest player drafted by Philadelphia to play for the organization since Hall of Famer Chuck Bednarik (36 years, 226 days) when he played his final game in 1961. The report further noted that Graham is the Eagles’ oldest defensive player since defensive tackle Kimo von Oelhoffen (36 years, 334 days) when he suited up during the 2007 campaign.
The longest-tenured player in team history is joined by three other older defensive linemen in the NFL (Calais Campbell at 38, Jerry Hughes at 36, Linval Joseph at 35), and Graham is the leader in snaps per game at 32.
For however much longer Graham can go for the Eagles, he’ll always be remembered in the City of Brotherly Love for his performance in Super Bowl LII against the New England Patriots. Graham had two hits on Patriots signal-caller (and fellow Michigan product) Tom Brady in the big game. He forced a crucial fumble on a strip sack late in the fourth quarter to ice Philadelphia’s 41-33 victory.
