Eagles’ Brandon Graham retires after 15 NFL seasons and 2 Super Bowl titles
The defensive end is the franchise's all-time leader in games and seasons played. “This game has changed my life, but more importantly, this city has changed my life,” he said Tuesday.
Brandon Graham was drafted in 2010 out of Michigan, but didn't hit his stride as an NFL player until 2016.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
The farewell tour is complete. After 15 seasons in the NFL exclusively spent with the Eagles, Brandon Graham is calling it a career.
In a tearful news conference on Tuesday afternoon, the 36-year-old defensive end announced his retirement. In his opening remarks, Graham thanked members of the Eagles organization, past and present, his family, and the Philadelphia fans for being a part of his football journey.
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“This game has changed my life, but more importantly, this city has changed my life,” Graham said.
Graham finishes his playing career as the team’s all-time leader in seasons played and games (206). He ranks third in franchise history in sacks (76½) and fourth in multi-sack games (17).
Brandon Graham announced his retirement.Read moreMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Brandon Graham is reflected in the Lombardi Trophy.Read moreMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Brandon Graham announced his retirement.Read moreMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni and General Manager Howie Roseman sit together during Brandon Graham’s retirement announcement.Read moreMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Brandon Graham announced his retirement.Read moreMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Carlyne Graham, Brandon’s wife, cries during his retirement announcement.Read moreMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Brandon Graham read prepared remarks.Read moreMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Brandon Graham hugs his daughter Emerson.Read moreMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Jalen Hurts posed for a photo with Brandon Graham.Read moreMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Jalen Hurts walks off stage after Brandon Graham announced his retirement.Read moreMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Brandon Graham hugs his mom, Tasha.Read moreMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Brandon Graham greets the media.Read moreMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Brandon Graham holds the Lombardi trophy.Read moreMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Brandon Graham smiles after the announcement.Read moreMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Brandon Graham hugs his children Bryson, center, and Emerson, right.Read moreMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer
This season, Graham took a difficult path to his second career Super Bowl victory. He suffered a torn triceps in Week 12 against the Los Angeles Rams, an injury that he declared was season-ending. However, a long playoff run gave Graham just enough time to return for the title game, in which he played 13 defensive snaps.
His road to recovery isn’t finished, even in retirement. Graham confirmed that he re-tore his triceps in the Super Bowl.
Before Graham became a trash-talking fan favorite, he endured a shaky start to his NFL career. The Eagles traded up to select Graham with the 13th overall pick in the 2010 draft out of Michigan, making him Howie Roseman’s first draft pick as general manager.
An injury derailed the beginning of his Eagles tenure. Graham suffered a torn ACL in December of his rookie season, keeping him sidelined until the following November. After nearly signing with the New York Giants at the end of his rookie deal in 2015, Graham began to hit his stride upon returning to the Eagles, especially in 2016.
That season, Jim Schwartz stepped in as the Eagles’ defensive coordinator. His 4-3 scheme and wide-9 defensive front fit Graham’s abilities as a pass rusher, allowing him to solidify a full-time starting role in the Eagles defense. After posting career highs in pressures (54) and quarterback hits (22) at the time, Graham earned second-team All-Pro honors for the first time in his career.
Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham runs on the field during player introductions before the Eagles play the Dallas Cowboys in 2023.Read moreMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Defensive hero Brandon Graham shares his trophy moment with his wife, Carlyne, and daughter, Emerson Abigail, in 2018.
Read moreMICHAEL BRYANT / Staff Photographer
Brandon Graham celebrates on the Art Museum steps during the Eagles' Super Bowl LIX victory parade in 2025.
Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Brandon Graham with Kansas City Chiefs back-up quarterback Carson Wentz after the Eagles beat the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham celebrates defensive tackle Milton Williams' sack of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes during the second quarter of Super Bowl LIX.
Read moreDavid Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Brandon Graham takes the field during the first day of Eagles Training Camp at the Novacare Complex in South Philadelphia in 2024.Read moreMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham attends Rodney McLeod's fourth annual Sneaker Ball, through the 'Change our Future' foundation at Vie by Cescaphe.
Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Brandon Graham of the Eagles signs autographs at DeVonta Smith's celebrity softball game and home run derby.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
It was Eagles night at the St. Joseph's and Dayton game at Hagan Arena. Brandon Graham of the Eagles made an appearance to the delight of the student section.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Eagles player Brandon Graham leads an Eagles cheer after speaking during the Fit to Lead conference at the Bruder Life Center at Neumann University. Fit to Lead is a leadership conference for Pennsylvania high school and college athletes.Read moreMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham arrives at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham forces an incomplete pass on New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones in 2023.
Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Brandon Graham comes off the field with an injury during the second quarter of the game against the San Francisco 49ers in 2021.
Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Eagles QB Carson Wentz, Washington’s Dustin Hopkins, Eagles Brandon Graham and Zach Ertz pray together on the field after the Eagles' 20-14 loss to the Washington Football Team in 2021.
Read moreELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham smiles as he heads back to the locker room following a win over the Minnesota Vikings in 2022.
Read moreHeather Khalifa / Staff Photographer
Brandon Graham, center, jumps for joy and high-fives a fan as he leaves FedEx Field after beating Washington in 2019.
Read moreMICHAEL BRYANT / Staff Photographer
Giants quarterback Eli Manning grimaces as he is pressured by Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham (right) and defensive tackle Fletcher Cox in 2016. Read moreClem Murray / File Photograph
Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham sacks New York Jets quarterback Luke Falk in 2019. Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Eagles defensive linemen Fletcher Cox (left) and Brandon Graham celebrate a sack of San Francisco quarterback C.J. Beathard in 2018.Read moreCLEM MURRAY / Staff Photographer
Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham tackles New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady during the second quarter of Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis in 2018.
Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Brandon Grahamruns past assistant head coach Jerry Azzinaro during Eagles practice in 2014.
Read moreDavid Maialetti
Brandon Graham, selected 13th overall in the 2010 NFL draft, was introduced to the media Friday, April 23, 2010. (Charles Fox / Staff Photographer)Read more
The Eagles took their rookies on a tour of Philadelphia and defensive end Brandon Graham raised his arms in a Rocky impression after doing the Art Museum steps in 2010.
Read moreYONG KIM / Staff photographer
The Eagles' first-round draft pick Brandon Graham laughs as he tries on shoes prior to the start of mini-camp at the Nova Care Complex in 2010.
Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer
Graham had a breakout season the following year in which he registered 9½ sacks, going on to strip-sack New England’s Tom Brady in Super Bowl LII on his way to earning his first Lombardi Trophy.
He continued to have a productive career, even into his later seasons. In 2020, the 32-year-old Graham earned his first career Pro Bowl nod after he led the team in sacks (eight), tackles for losses (13), and pressures (36).
At 34 years old in 2022, he finished with a career-best 11 sacks, placing fourth in voting for the Associated Press comeback player of the year award. The year before, he had missed the majority of the season with a torn Achilles tendon.
This past season, Graham was nominated as the Eagles’ Walter Payton Man of the Year candidate, an honor that recognizes players who have displayed excellence on the field and determination to enrich their communities off it. He was also nominated for the award in 2022.
His journey served as a lesson in perseverance to his young teammates on the defensive line in recent years. Nolan Smith said late in his second season that Graham’s “belief” helped him take a leap in his game after an uneventful rookie season. With Graham’s retirement and Josh Sweat’s departure for the Arizona Cardinals in free agency, the average age of the Eagles edge rushers under contract in 2025 is 25.
“Although Brandon is officially retiring as a player, we know that his impact on our team will continue to be felt for many years to come, whether it is through the culture he helped build or his future endeavors,” Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said in a statement.
Graham’s retirement is the latest among a group of franchise greats who have hung up their cleats in the past year. Last offseason, Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox announced their retirements. Jason Peters, who spent 11 seasons with the Eagles from 2009-20, officially called it a career on Feb. 25.
Lane Johnson, the 34-year-old right tackle who agreed to terms on a one-year extension on Monday, is the last member of the Eagles’ “Core Four” — the group of Super Bowl LII winners in the trenches that also included Kelce, Cox, and Graham — remaining on the roster.
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