Eagles defensive finish Brandon Graham’s rollercoaster Sunday evening ended with the 15-year veteran considering soccer mortality with a triceps harm he expects to finish his 2024 season.
Graham, who beforehand mentioned this is able to be his closing yr within the league, moved into third place on the Eagles’ all-time sacks record with a second-quarter takedown of Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford however left the sport injured within the second half.
“I belief God, so I am simply having fun with myself,” Graham mentioned. “I am about to take pleasure in this little rehab and I am about to take pleasure in main this group the remainder of the yr. As quickly as I might be on the market I’ll be on the market.
“Man, boy, man, boy, I used to be having enjoyable on the market. And we’re nonetheless gonna have enjoyable. However I am out for the yr.”
Graham posted profession sack No. 76.5 to maneuver forward of Clyde Simmons behind solely Trent Cole and Reggie White on the Eagles’ all-time sacks record. The 36-year-old is 9.0 sacks from tying Cole (85.5) and has performed each recreation of his profession — a franchise-record 206 — with the Eagles since being drafted in 2010.
Graham shall be positioned on injured reserve however mentioned his every day responsibility to the Eagles as a captain and voice within the defensive position assembly room is not going to change. As for the place he goes from right here, he wasn’t able to say Sunday evening. However Graham did seem to prop the door open for a sixteenth NFL season.
“I used to be feeling good,” Graham mentioned. “I hated it to go like this, however on the finish of the day I haven’t got any regrets. I put all of it in as we speak like I do each week. We’ll go from right here. I am hoping we’re holding that trophy regardless.
“I do not wanna exit like this but when it is pointing towards that, we’ll see. I do not know what the group shall be feeling at the moment, however for me, I do not wanna exit like this. I undoubtedly need to have the ability to end a full season earlier than I am executed, but when that ain’t within the playing cards, I am content material the place I am at, too.”
The fourth defensive lineman drafted in 2010 behind Ndamukong Suh (Lions), Gerald McCoy (Buccaneers) and Tyson Alualu (Jaguars), Graham was the thirteenth general choice within the draft. He turns 37 in April however is not the oldest lively defensive lineman within the NFL this season. Dolphins defensive finish Calais Campbell turned 38 in September.
Graham had 3.5 sacks in 2024 after posting 3.0 in 17 video games final season. He had double-digit sacks solely as soon as (11 in 2022) however authored one of the crucial vital defensive performs in franchise historical past with a strip-sack of Tom Brady within the Eagles’ Tremendous Bowl LII victory.
–Subject Degree Media
