It's hard sometimes for fans to remember, but the Philadelphia Eagles found a way to come out with four franchise-altering players in the Draft from 2010-2013.
In quick succession, the Eagles drafted Brandon Graham, Jason Kelce, Fletcher Cox, and Lane Johnon in four straight drafts at different times across the days.
Both Graham and Kelce may have recently retired a year a part from each other, but the bond they shared as two of the longest-tenured Eagles when they played isn't something to look past.
In the case of Graham's recent retirement last week, the Eagles saw Cox and Johnson both there to celebrate. For Kelce, while he wasn't in attendance, the All-Pro turned TV star had quite a few words of respect for his former teammate.
"Retired Tuesday, press conference (was) very emotional," Kelce said on his New Heights podcast. "Listen, I've been talking to BG for a long time and obviously he made it known before this season's gonna be his final year. He was playing so good before his tricep injury. I was like, ‘Man, is he going to do it again?' And he still could-like, he could definitely still play.
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"And I don't know if there's anybody in my 10-years with the Philadelphia Eagles that put more into the game as a player, as a teammate. He loved football, he loved his teammates… I don't know that anybody represented what it is to be a Philadelphia Eagle than Brandon. Like the genuine love to be on the field with your teammates, the energy he brought on a daily basis."
Graham was the longest-tenured Eagle in franchise history and beat Kelce out of the games played record this past season. Both players have no retired having played for no other team other than Philly.
And that is what makes them both so special both for the city and for the Eagles franchise.
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This story was originally published March 26, 2025 at 4:44 PM.