Eagles franchise legend and defensive end Brandon Graham, winner of two Super Bowls in Philly, has announced his retirement. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
PHILADELPHIA, PA — Eagles legend and All-Pro defensive end Brandon Graham announced his retirement at the Birds training complex on Tuesday, ending a storied career that brought two championships to Philly and saw set the franchise record for most games ever played.
Graham, now 37, was one of just four players, along with Jake Elliott, Lane Johnson, and Rick Lovato, who was on both the 2018 and 2025 Super Bowl championship teams.
"I truly did not know how deeply I would fall in love with the fans, with this team, with this city," Graham said through tears.
Graham spent his entire 15-year career with the Birds. He was drafted with the 13th overall pick in 2010 and never looked back, establishing himself as a foundational piece from the final years of Andy Reid's tenure and through the Chip Kelly and Pat Shurmur years.
Graham's defining moment in Philly occurred in the closing minutes of the 2018 Super Bowl. The Eagles were up, 41-33, having just scored on the Philly Special. But the Patriots had been in this moment many times before, and they had the most accomplished quarterback in playoff and NFL history at the helm, with two minutes remaining and the chance to win it all with a touchdown.
But Graham had other ideas. As Tom Brady dropped back the Eagles rushed, and Graham worked himself free and got a hand on Brady, knocking the ball loose. The Birds recovered. And a few days later Graham stood next to Jason Kelce on the Art Museum steps roaring about hungry dogs.
Graham's play may not have attained the highlight reel fame of the Philly Special, but it is widely considered one of the greatest plays in Philadelphia sports history.
Fittingly, it was Kelce's franchise record for games played that Graham broke last season.
The Birds teased Graham's announcement with a photo of him in front of the Rocky Statue, a pair of green cleats hung up over the bronze arm. The Eagles included Rocky's trademark, classic Philly line in their statement, emblematic too of Graham's career: "It's not how hard you hit, it's how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward — that's how winning is done."
While the Birds will doubtlessly feel different next year without the presence of the stalwart Graham, just as they were different in 2024, their first year without Kelce, they've already made several notable moves. They signed another longtime icon, Lane Johnson, to a one year contract. Saquon Barkley has received an NFL record extension that will keep him in Philly until 2028. They've also lost Josh Sweat, Darius Slay, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and Kenny Pickett, but have added Giants pass rusher Azeez Ojulari, lineman Kenyon Green, tight end Harrison Bryant, and others.
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