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Brandon Graham on if he could return in time for Super Bowl LIX: ‘I feel good, I do feel good’

The Eagles defensive end has hinted at a return after suffering a tricep injury in Week 12.

Injured Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham is working to make an improbable comeback for the Super Bowl.
Injured Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham is working to make an improbable comeback for the Super Bowl.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer

As the Eagles prepare for their third Super Bowl appearance since 2018, could Brandon Graham make an improbable return to action?

On Sunday, a source told Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes that Graham, one of the heroes of the Eagles’ lone Super Bowl win, was likely to come off injured reserve this week. On Monday, Graham spoke more about whether or not he would make a return in time for Super Bowl LIX on his WIP show.

“Let me tell you this. We’re working one game at a time and one day at a time,” Graham said. “I ain’t heard nothing, man. All I know is I’m just excited to be here, excited for this team, excited for this moment. Because yesterday Broad Street was crazy and everybody is ready.”

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Speculation around the defensive end’s potential return started after the Eagles’ win over the Los Angeles Rams, when Graham teased the possibility to NBC’s John Clark. That speculation continued after the Eagles secured the NFC title with a dominant 55-23 victory over the Washington Commanders on Sunday. Graham was seen in the locker room during the postgame festivities talking to Gillie Da Kid. “You back right? Right now, let’s give them an exclusive,” Gillie said.

“I’ll meet in the morning,” Graham responded. “We’ll know tomorrow.”

Graham, 36, tore his triceps against the Rams on Nov. 24 and has been sidelined since with what seemed like a season-ending injury. But now that the Eagles have extended their season another two weeks, the veteran may make a return for the Super Bowl.

“I feel good. I do feel good,” Graham said. “This has been the easiest, I will say, injury out of the injuries I’ve had. And I’m just saying that because upper-body stuff is a little easier ... taking a shower all the little things you take for granted until you’re out and you’re on crutches and stuff like that. This time around it’s just more about making sure I’m building muscle, making sure I’m getting stronger, and doing the right things where I’m not hurting it to where I can re-hurt it. I know for me, man, we’re going to see what the doctor says, see what’s going on, and then we’ll go from there.”

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Before his injury, Graham had 20 tackles, 3½ sacks, and one forced fumble. In his absence, the Eagles have leaned on a three-man edge rotation of Nolan Smith, Josh Sweat, and Jalyx Hunt. Despite missing the past nine games, Graham believes he’s still in football shape.

“That’s the toughest thing when you get hurt is [that] you kind of get out of the routine and your workouts and you got to watch what you eat, you got to watch what you’re doing all that stuff,” Graham said. “That stuff catches up to you. And it’s been two months but I’ve been able to run and stuff. It’s like my body has been just not hitting nobody but I’ve been taking myself through a quick little workout with the weight room staff and all them. Even the training staff, they’ve been doing a good job at making sure my tricep is right.”