Brandon Graham always let the door open to return for a 16th NFL season, even after winning Super Bowl LIX with the Philadelphia eagles. Graham already had a Super Bowl championship and his legacy intact, so why come back and play another season?
The longest-tenured Eagles player, Graham didn't reveal he officially was going to retire before the Super Bowl. So what was the tipping point toward Graham's decision?
"If I didn't make it to the Super Bowl, I probably wouldn't be up here right now," Graham said at his retirement press conference. "I promise you I'd be begging to come back one more (year). I was happy to be able to make it back to play with my guys one last time, to put that uniform on in the big moment."
Graham tore his triceps in a Week 12 win over the Los Angeles Rams and was out for several months. The only realistic chance Graham had of returning was if the Eagles reached Super Bowl LIX. The game was right in Graham's timeline of a potential return, which several Eagles players wanted to make sure they earned their way to New Orleans so Graham could play one more time.
"It all started in Vic [ Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio] keeping us prepared and our coaches putting in that work to relay that message for the week and we trusted ourselves in that week. Me being a part of that, that was all I needed to know," Graham said. "I felt like my prayers were answered being able to come back and being with them boys one last time."
Graham admitted he retore his triceps in the Super Bowl LIX victory, yet stayed in the game until the very end (he played 13 snaps). He still thought about coming back for a 16th NFL season, but the decision was made.
"The competitor in me wanted to come back, but I couldn't ask for nothing sweeter than this," Graham said. "I'm thankful to have came back and be able to play my last game with integrity and play good at that.
"Went out on my own terms and came out a champion."
