Minutes after being eliminated by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card Round of the postseason, the longest-tenured Philadelphia Eagles player was clear on his intensions for the future.
As noted by Rob Maaddi of The Associated Press, Brandon Graham told the assembled media in the visitor's locker room at Raymond James Stadium that he hopes to have a "farewell tour" in 2024, playing one last season with the Eagles. Graham's contract for 2023 kicked some dead money to future years, but he is set to become a free agent, so the Eagles will need share his vision to make it a reality.
Graham was one of the few defensive players who shined Monday, as he finished the season-ending defeat with five solo tackles, three tackles for a loss and a sack. A year after posting a career-high 11 sacks, Graham finished the 2023 regular season with just three sacks in 17 games, adding in 16 combined tackles, six quarterback hits, and four tackles for a loss.
Now 35, Graham is not only the longest-tenured Eagle, but he's the longest-tenured athlete in Philadelphia sports. He was selected 13th overall out of Michigan in the 2010 NFL Draft, and has turned out to be one of the most productive defensive players in team history, with 467 combined tackles, 73 sacks and 21 forced fumbles in 14 seasons. His most notable forced fumble, of course, came in the fourth quarter of an eventual Super Bowl LII win over the New England Patriots, when he strip-sacked quarterback Tom Brady to seal the victory.
Graham is one of three Eagles greats facing uncertain futures now that the 2023 season is over. Center Jason Kelce and defensive tackle Fletcher Cox declined to talk after the game.
More must-reads: