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Two Things Will Determine Brandon Graham's Early Role In Return To Eagles

Originally posted on Philadelphia Eagles on SI
By Ed Kracz | Last updated Oct 21, 2025 3:43 PM ET

The way Vic Fangio sees it, shape and retention will be the two factors in what Braond Graham's role will look like against the New York Giants on Sunday. Not just any shape, either, but football shape, and retention means what Graham can recall from last year when Fangio was in his first season with the Eagles.

“Shape comes in two forms, not just your conditioning but your football shape, too,” said Fangio on Tuesday about the return of Graham from retirement. “Contact shape. Hopefully, the sooner the better.”

Graham, 37, is back for a 16th season with the Eagles, and that restores him to the top of the leaderboard for the longest-tenured athlete in Philadelphia, taking over for the Flyers’ Sean Couturier, who had claimed that title at the time Graham retired this past spring.

Couturier was taken eighth overall in the 2011 NHL Draft; Graham was taken 13th overall in the 2010 NFL Draft.

Only two players taken in the first round of that 2010 NFL draft remain in the league – Graham and offensive lineman Trent Williams, and it was a good class, too, with Ndamukong Suh going second overall, Eric Berry fifth, Russell Okung sixth, Dez Bryant 24th, and Devin McCourty 27th, to name just a few.

Brandon Graham's Return Has Everyone Happy

The return of Graham made the players happy. Many were asked about that possibility in the postgame locker room at U.S. Bank Stadium following the Eagles’ 28-22 win over the Minnesota Vikings.

Fangio seemed pleased, too. The DC had been planting a seed toward returning as far back as when he made his retirement speech on March 18.

“All the way from the start I was teasing him not to retire, all the way back to last February and March,” said Fangio. “I’ve run into him (since he retired). We’ve talked when he’s come by. I always tease him about, try to light the fire.”

Mission accomplished. The fuse has been lit, and whatever the role is, at least early on while he acclimates to being a football player again, Graham’s presence on a team that is in first place in the NFC East at 5-2 will certainly help.

“(Eagles owner) Jeffrey Lurie said it last year, and he said it perfectly - there are people that are energy takers and energy givers,” said defensive tackle Moro Ojom, “and BG is an energy giver, and I think we all feel that.”

This article first appeared on Philadelphia Eagles on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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