Goodbye again: Longtime Eagles DE Graham retires from NFL for 2nd time

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  Tim McManusSep 8, 2026, 12:50 PM ET

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  Tim McManus covers the Philadelphia Eagles for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2016 after covering the Eagles for Philadelphia Magazine's Birds 24/7, a site he helped create, since 2010.

PHILADELPHIA -- Longtime Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham announced Tuesday that he is retiring from the NFL, again.

"I'm officially done," Graham said during a "Breakfast with the Birds" pep rally at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. "Y'all are hearing it from me first."

Graham, the longest-tenured player in franchise history, announced he was walking away following Philadelphia's 2024 Super Bowl campaign.

But then he signed a one-year deal with the Eagles last October to play in his 16th NFL season following the sudden retirement of Za'Darius Smith, recording three sacks and three QB hits in nine games.

Graham was open to suiting up again this year but wanted to have a commitment from the team early in the process. That never came to pass.

The Eagles are projected to have one of the better defenses in the NFL with talent across the board, including at edge, led by offseason acquisition Jonathan Greenard as well as Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith.

"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.

"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."

Graham holds the Eagles record for most regular-season games played (215) and is third in franchise history with 79.5 career sacks. He made his lone Pro Bowl in 2020 and recorded his first double-digit sack season in 2022 with 11.

Graham's strip sack of Tom Brady in the closing moments of Super Bowl LII helped secure a narrow win over the New England Patriots and delivered the first Lombardi Trophy to Philadelphia.