Busy Day For Eagles Includes Trade, Two Of Their Super Bowl Winners Retire

So, that’s it. Graham is no longer a part of the team after 15 years. There’s always a chance he could change his mind and return at some point during the season if the Eagles feel they are too thin on the outside, but that is probably unlikely.

He wrapped up a memorable career that included making one of the most iconic plays in Super Bowl history when he strip-sacked Tom Brady in Super Bowl LII, a pivotal play in Philadelphia’s 41-22 win over the New England Patriots for their first-ever Lombardi Trophy.

Heroics aide, Graham played 206 games, which is more than anyone in a franchise born in 1933. He ended third on the all-time sack list with 76.5 to go along with 487 tackles and 153 quarterback hits.

Monday was also a day on which another Eagles Super Bowl winner called it a career when cornerback Ron Darby announced he was calling it quits after 10 years.

Darby, who was the runner up AP Defensive Rookie of the Year with the Buffalo Bills in 2015, came to the Eagles just two years later in a deal that sent the Bills receiver Jordan Matthews and a third-round draft pick.

He played in 27 games over the next three years and made six interceptions and was the starting corner on the Super Bowl LII championship team along with Graham.

While it’s not a surprise that Graham was placed on the reserve/retired list, what came as a surprise, at least to the Detroit Lions, was the retirement of center Frank Ragnow at the age of 29.

The Lions and Eagles had two offensive lines that were considered the best in the NFL, and you could argue which one is better. Losing Ragnow, though, is a big hole on the Lions’ offensive line. Philly and Detroit are the favorites to make it to the Super Bowl in San Francisco in February, but the loss of Ragnow, who is just 29, will be difficult to replace.

Unlike the Eagles, who were prepared for Jason Kelce’s retirement and had drafted his replacement, Cam Jurgens, two years before Kelce called it a career, the Lions are likely to turn to a rookie in Tate Ratledge to start at center. Jurgens was a Pro Bowl center last year.