Brandon Graham, one of the most revered players in Eagles history, is hanging up his cleats after 218 games, 82 sacks and two Super Bowl championships.Next stop: Eagles Hall of Fame.B.G. announced Tuesday afternoon that the 2024 season will be his final season. It’s not a huge surprise, considering he turns 37 in two weeks, he suffered two torn triceps injuries in 2 ½ months and he plays for a team that’s in the midst of a major youth movement.But it’s still huge news when one of the iconic figures in franchise history calls it a day. Especially coming a year after Fletcher Cox and Jason Kelce retired.That’s 40 years of service to the Eagles walking away from the only organization any of them ever played for.Graham is the final Eagle that played under Andy Reid, and one of only four players to win two Super Bowls in an Eagles uniform, along with Lane Johnson, Jake Elliott and Rick Lovato.
Graham, the Eagles’ 1st-round pick in 2010, set franchise records by playing 15 seasons and in 218 games, including 12 in the postseason. His 76 ½ regular-season sacks trails only Reggie White (124) and Trent Cole (85 ½) in Eagles history.
Whatever else B.G. ever did or ever does, he’ll always be known in this city for one of the greatest plays in Philadelphia sports history.
His historic strip sack of Tom Brady just before the two-minute warning in Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis went a long way toward delivering the first Lombardi Trophy to the Eagles.
Graham became a shining example of determination and persistence early in his career after recording just 17 sacks in his first five seasons. But he just kept working and by 2016 he was a 2nd-team All-Pro and in 2017 he had a career-high 9 ½ sacks and helped the Eagles win their first Super Bowl.
His transformation from a player who was perceived as a 1st-round bust as late as the fifth year of his career into one of the most popular Eagles ever was remarkable
That began a string of very good seasons, including 8 ½ sacks in 2019, 8.0 and a Pro Bowl in 2020 and a career-high 11 sacks in 2022 after missing most of 2021 with a torn Achilles. This past year, playing under Vic Fangio, B.G. was rejuvenated and played at a consistently high level before the first triceps injury in Week 12. He had 3 ½ sacks, six tackles for loss and seven quarterback hits.
Out of 108 edge rushers who played at least 300 snaps this year, Graham’s PFF grade of 79.2 grade ranked 19th.
No player in Eagles history had more sacks after his 29th birthday and no player in Eagles history had more sacks from his seventh season on.Graham’s 206 regular-season games played are 6th-most ever by an edge rusher who spent his entire career with one team. And his 76 ½ regular-season sacks are 20th-most all-time by a player who spent his entire career with one team.To get an idea just how long Graham spent with the Eagles, among his teammates his rookie year were Michael Vick, Quintin Mikell, Asante Samuel, Ellis Hobbs, King Dunlap and Hank Baskett.B.G. wasn’t just a terrific football player during his years with the Eagles, he was a vocal leader on the field and in the locker room and a tireless worker in the community. He was the Eagles’ 2024 nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, which recognizes a player for his contributions on and off the field.
Graham has been outspoken about his desire to remain with the Eagles’ organization in some sort of role, and Eagles owner Jeff Lurie and GM Howie Roseman have been very good about bringing former players into the fold in various roles. Among them Darren Sproles, Brent Celek, Connor Barwin.
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