Goodbye again: Longtime Eagles DE Graham retires from NFL for 2nd time — SkimNews
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- Brandon Graham announced at a "Breakfast with the Birds" pep rally at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital that he is retiring from the NFL for a second time, telling fans "I'm officially done."
- Graham first retired after Philadelphia's 2024 Super Bowl campaign, then signed a one-year deal last October — replacing Za'Darius Smith after Smith's sudden retirement — and recorded three sacks and three QB hits in nine games of his 16th NFL season.
- Graham wanted an early commitment from the team to return for 2025 but said it never came, citing the Eagles' projected edge depth including offseason addition Jonathan Greenard, Jalyx Hunt, and Nolan Smith.
- Graham owns the Eagles franchise record for regular-season games played (215) and ranks third in team history with 79.5 career sacks, with his lone Pro Bowl coming in 2020 and a career-best 11-sack season in 2022.
- Graham's strip sack of Tom Brady in the closing moments of Super Bowl LII secured a narrow win over the New England Patriots and delivered Philadelphia's first Lombardi Trophy.
- Graham said he plans to remain around the team to "still give wisdom, helping the guys," framing the move as a family-first adjustment to prioritize his children.
Why it matters: Graham exits as the longest-tenured player in franchise history at 215 games and 79.5 sacks, ending a 16-year career. His 2024 return proved he could still produce (three sacks in nine games), but Philadelphia's decision to hand the edge room to younger rushers like Greenard, Hunt, and Smith closed the door. The retirement also removes from active play the defender behind Philadelphia's only Super Bowl win.
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