Even after playing his 15th season, even after turning 36, even after tearing his triceps, Brandon Graham still wasn’t sure.
He had thought a lot about retirement and called 2024 his farewell tour, but as Super Bowl LIX approached, there was still some lingering doubt.
If the Eagles won? He was ready to walk off into the sunset.
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“I probably wouldn't be up here right now,” B.G. said. “I promise you, I'd be begging to come on back one more (season). But I was happy to be able to make it back to play with my guys, to put that uniform on one last time in a big moment, big stage. To where we went out there and performed.”
After missing the last six games of the regular season and the first three playoff games with that torn triceps, suffering against the Rams in L.A. in late November, Graham made it back on the field for the Super Bowl and played 13 snaps – 13 productive snaps – in the Eagles’ 40-22 win over the Chiefs.
He also tore his triceps again, although he’ll tell you it was well worth it to be part of the second championship of his career.
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“I felt like me being able to be a part of that, that was all I needed to know (to retire),” he said. “I felt like my prayers was answered being able to come back and be with them boys one last time.
"And I didn't know how it was gonna be, for real. I mean, we won and of course the competitor in me wanted to come back. But I know this, I couldn't ask for nothing sweeter than this. And I’m thankful to have come back and to be able to play my last game like my coach said with some integrity and play good, at that.
“So I can always hang my hat on that where I played good in my last game, went out on my own terms and went out a champion."
One thing Graham is sure about is that even though his playing days are over, he’s not leaving football.
He doesn’t know exactly what his future will look like, but he does know he’ll be around the NovaCare Complex.
Doing something.
The Eagles have a long history of hiring their former players in various roles working in the front office or scouting department, helping out the coaching staff or in a support role for players.
After 15 years and two Lombardi trophies with the Eagles, Graham has a ton to offer.
“I want to sit down and talk to Mr. (Jeff) Lurie, have some dinner with him and so we’re going to do that and figure out what I could do to be a part of what's going on,” he said. “Because I feel like we’ve got some good stuff brewing right now and I want to make sure that I can be a help in whatever it is that I do. And then, of course, I want to be creative on, I ain't got to be all in one basket, have everything all in one, but just kind of move around.
“I don't want to just cold turkey leave the game, because I love it. I love just the intensity of it.”
Does the end of his playing career mean the end of his legendary track talking? No way.
“Now I can send my goons out (to do it),” he said with a laugh. “I got a little different lingo I'm going to say to these guys on the field because of course I got to talk my stuff. I can't do nothing about it but I can send Nolan (Smith) out there to go do it.
“I'm going to do it in practice, too. I'm going to be a part of something that they got going on where I can come in and even if I'm just coming to practice, I can always tell the offensive line what I would have done if I was still out there.”