PHILADELPHIA — With a hint of gray in his beard and a bulky brace on his left arm, Brandon Graham is determined to make a comeback just in time for the Super Bowl. The veteran defensive end of the Philadelphia Eagles has not yet confirmed if he will retire but is focused on rehabilitating a torn triceps to participate in the championship game against the Kansas City Chiefs on February 9.
“Whatever I’ve got to do for this one game,” said Graham on Thursday, “I feel like I can do it.”
He was a limited participant during Thursday’s practice, marking his return to the field for the first time in over two months. This recent development raises hopes for his return to play after what was initially viewed as a season-ending injury sustained on November 24 against the Los Angeles Rams.
At 36 years old, Graham was placed on injured reserve two days following his injury, effectively signaling the end of what he had previously indicated would be his final NFL season. However, as the Eagles progressed through the NFC playoffs, Graham began to consider putting on his No. 55 jersey again, which he saw as a source of good luck after the team scored 55 points in the NFC title game.
“We’ve got two weeks. Today was a great start,” he commented. “As long as I don’t have no setbacks, I don’t think it’s going to be a problem.”
Graham is one of the few players still with the Eagles from their Super Bowl-winning team in the 2017 season. He was a first-round draft pick from Michigan in 2010 and had previously announced intentions to retire at the end of this season. However, his injury has prompted him to rethink that decision, stating, “I ain’t there yet, man. We’re going to get this one. Let’s go get this one and then we’ll talk about it.”
Graham is well-remembered for his critical strip-sack of Tom Brady during the Super Bowl, which played a crucial role in the Eagles’ thrilling victory. After an injury-plagued 2021 season, he returned to form and achieved a career-high of 11 sacks last season, adding 3.5 sacks in the 11 games he played this season before his injury. He also holds the franchise record for the most career postseason sacks with 5.5.
While still on injured reserve and not counting against the Eagles’ 53-man roster, the team continues to prepare for the upcoming Super Bowl. They are scheduled for practices on Friday and Saturday before heading to New Orleans on Sunday.
Graham’s return to practice is a morale booster for his teammates, who expressed excitement at having him back. Offensive lineman Jordan Mailata said, “You heard him before you saw him, that’s for damn sure. It was amazing having him out there again. Just the energy, it’s infectious, man. It’s the right timing, man.”
The Eagles held out several key injured starters during practice, including guard Landon Dickerson (knee), center Cam Jurgens (back), and wide receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring). However, all are expected to be available for the Super Bowl.
With Graham absent, the Eagles have successfully relied on a three-player pass rush consisting of Nolan Smith, Josh Sweat, and Jalyx Hunt. Graham was on the field during the last matchup against the Chiefs, where he played 18 snaps without recording a tackle.
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni had expressed disappointment in November when Graham’s injury was revealed to be season-ending, emphasizing the impact Graham has on his teammates both as a leader and player.
Now, with the chance for one last game, it seems unimaginable that the franchise’s leader in career games played, currently at 206, would put in such effort just to miss out on the Super Bowl. “I’m just hype to be back on that field, man,” Graham said excitedly, “and can’t wait to get after it tomorrow.”
