After taking "a little minute" to mull his options, longtime Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham has officially decided to hang up the cleats.
Graham will ride off into the sunset with the fairy-tale ending athletes dream of: Retiring a champion. He addressed the media on Tuesday to announce the end of his NFL playing career after 15 seasons.
It was a heartfelt moment and a choice that demonstrably weighed heavily on Graham, considering he started crying literally seconds into saying goodbye. Being passionate about football is nothing new for the soon-to-be 37-year-old. He's been an emotional backbone in Philadelphia, specifically in the locker room. On-field efforts aside, his voice will be missed dearly.
Brandon Graham's retirement the Eagles' need for veteran leadership
A highly respected leader within the organization, Graham is the longest-tenured Eagle in franchise history for a reason. Besides being a great defender and pass rusher, he's the consummate professional, always looking out for his teammates and helping them succeed. With him gone, Philadelphia is running thin on veteran guidance.
Stalwart offensive tackle Lane Johnson is the last member of Philly's "core four" standing. He, Graham and likely future Hall of Famers Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox had been the nucleus of the Eagles for over a decade. Now, the iconic group is down to just one, leaving the squad devoid of the senior presence it's been accustomed to having.
Moreover, the Eagles released cornerback Darius Slay earlier this offseason, another vet the group entrusted with a leadership role for years. He was a three-team captain, highlighting the value he brought outside shutting down opposing wide receivers.
With Graham, Kelce, Cox and Slay out of the picture, a lot of pressure falls on Johnson to shepherd the Eagles. Additional players must step up and help him, but who?
Super Bowl LIX MVP Jalen Hurts is presumably slated for his fifth season of captaincy in 2025. Star wide receiver A.J. Brown has donned a "C" on his uniform twice. All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun took the "green dot" responsibilities during the playoffs and was instrumental to Philly's title run. They'll each ostensibly be tasked with helping Johnson fill Graham's massive shoes, among others.