Brandon Graham ended his retirement to rejoin the Philadelphia Eagles at the risk of spoiling a Hollywood ending to his 15-year NFL career.

Graham walked off the field in New Orleans in February with a second Lombardi Trophy already having planned for the final game of the 2024 season being his last.

Those plans changed and Graham made the one-year deal with the Eagles official.

“I’m coming back, baby. I’m excited,” Graham said Tuesday. “No expectations. Just excited to get after it. Of course, I believe in the team. That’s a big part of it too. I know they’ve got everything that they need. Just can’t wait to add a little more.”

Graham, 37, said he wanted to keep playing after returning from a torn triceps to play in the Super Bowl earlier this year. But he didn’t get a sense from the Eagles that they wanted him back, and wasn’t willing to play for another team. Graham is the longest-tenured player in team history.

“It was only going to be for the Eagles,” he said Tuesday.

The Eagles are 26th in the NFL with 11 sacks this season. Nolan Smith and Ogbo Okoronkwo are on injured reserve, and Okoronkwo was ruled out for the season.

Graham cranked up the intensity of his workouts in September with a potential return in mind. The Eagles have an open roster spot and added him directly to the 53-man roster, making Graham eligible to play Sunday against the New York Giants.

He has 76.5 career sacks, but only 6.5 total in his past 28 regular-season games.

Graham obviously knows the team and scheme. He said his timeline was adjusted by pass rusher Za’Darius Smith abruptly retiring last week.

Until Graham practices with the team on Wednesday, he isn’t clear if he’ll be active for the Week 8 game or wait for Nov. 10 following the Eagles’ bye next week.

“I am glad I’m doing it earlier because I get a week of practice. Get another week on the bye week. Of course, I’m going to do some extra (work). I’ve got to get my training camp going,” Graham said. “I think by Green Bay I should be a go. Just easing my way in. But who knows? It could be this week. You just never know. They want to see where I’m at.”

–Field Level Media

Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham’s rollercoaster Sunday night ended with the 15-year veteran contemplating football mortality with a triceps injury he expects to end his 2024 season.

Graham, who previously said this would be his final year in the league, moved into third place on the Eagles’ all-time sacks list with a second-quarter takedown of Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford but left the game injured in the second half.

“I trust God, so I’m just enjoying myself,” Graham said. “I’m about to enjoy this little rehab and I’m about to enjoy leading this team the rest of the year. As soon as I can be out there I’m going to be out there.

“Man, boy, man, boy, I was having fun out there. And we’re still gonna have fun. But I’m out for the year.”

Graham posted career sack No. 76.5 to move ahead of Clyde Simmons behind only Trent Cole and Reggie White on the Eagles’ all-time sacks list. The 36-year-old is 9.0 sacks from tying Cole (85.5) and has played every game of his career — a franchise-record 206 — with the Eagles since being drafted in 2010.

Graham will be placed on injured reserve but said his daily duty to the Eagles as a captain and voice in the defensive line meeting room will not change. As for where he goes from here, he wasn’t ready to say Sunday night. But Graham did appear to prop the door open for a 16th NFL season.

“I was feeling good,” Graham said. “I hated it to go like this, but at the end of the day I don’t have any regrets. I put it all in today like I do every week. We’ll go from here. I’m hoping we’re holding that trophy regardless.

“I don’t wanna go out like this but if it’s pointing toward that, we’ll see. I don’t know what the team will be feeling at that time, but for me, I don’t wanna go out like this. I definitely want to be able to finish a full season before I’m done, but if that ain’t in the cards, I’m content where I’m at, too.”

The fourth defensive lineman drafted in 2010 behind Ndamukong Suh (Lions), Gerald McCoy (Buccaneers) and Tyson Alualu (Jaguars), Graham was the 13th overall selection in the draft. He turns 37 in April but isn’t the oldest active defensive lineman in the NFL this season. Dolphins defensive end Calais Campbell turned 38 in September.

Graham had 3.5 sacks in 2024 after posting 3.0 in 17 games last season. He had double-digit sacks only once (11 in 2022) but authored one of the most significant defensive plays in franchise history with a strip-sack of Tom Brady in the Eagles’ Super Bowl LII victory.

–Field Level Media