defensive end Brandon Graham announced on Tuesday that he is walking away from the for a second time, closing a 16-year career spent entirely in midnight green.
The announcement came at a “Breakfast with the Birds” pep rally at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Graham, the longest-tenured player in franchise history, left no room for another comeback.
“I’m officially done,” Graham said. “Y’all are hearing it from me first.”
first stepped away after the Philadelphia Eagles’ 2024 Super Bowl run. That storybook exit did not last. Last October, he signed a one-year deal for his 16th season after Za’Darius Smith’s sudden retirement, finishing with three sacks and three quarterback hits in nine games.
He was open to a 17th year if the Eagles committed early. That offer never arrived. Philadelphia’s edge group is now built around offseason addition Jonathan Greenard, plus Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith. The defense is expected to rank among the league’s best without him.
“They are in great hands,” Graham said. “Jordan Davis … he is a guy that’s going to get the defense going. On offense, I can’t wait for Jalen [Hurts] to prove them haters wrong, as always, and get us back to the promised land.”
Drafted 13th overall out of Michigan in 2010, Brandon Graham never played for another team. He holds the ’ record for regular-season games played with 215 and ranks third in franchise history with 79.5 sacks. He earned his lone Pro Bowl selection in 2020. He posted his first double-digit sack season in 2022 with 11.
The play that sealed his place in Philadelphia sports history came in Super Bowl LII. Graham’s strip sack of Tom Brady in the closing moments helped the Eagles beat the and deliver the city’s first Lombardi Trophy. He later added a second Super Bowl ring after the 2024 season.
Those two titles, plus a reputation as a locker-room leader who stayed through rebuilds and championships, made him one of the most popular Eagles of the modern era.
Brandon Graham said the next chapter is about time he missed while chasing football.
“I’m going to still be around … still giving wisdom, helping the guys. Of course, it’s an adjustment for me but it’s a great adjustment because it’s all about my kids and my family, trying to make sure I’m there for that and just spreading the love everywhere.”
He has already begun media work in Philadelphia and has spoken about mentoring younger defenders. Owner Jeffrey Lurie previously called him part of the family forever after the first retirement. That bond is expected to continue even if Graham never takes another snap.
The Birds will open the 2026 season without No. 55 on the field. They will still have his voice nearby, and a defense he believes is ready to carry the standard he helped set.
