BG Out, Baby

Posted: March 18th, 2025 | Author: Tommy Lawlor

Brandon Graham announced his retirement on Tuesday, after playing 15 seasons for the Eagles. That statement is impressive by itself, but it incredible when you go back in time and see how things started.

We have Lovie Smith to thank for all of this. If  you go back to March of 2010, DE Julius Peppers was the most coveted free agent on the market. Everyone wanted him, including Howie Roseman. The Eagles were set to make a big offer and strong push for the star pass rusher. But Lovie Smith surprised everyone.

Back then free agency started at midnight. Smith flew to Charlotte and was at Peppers home at 12:01am. He made a big sales pitch and the Bears threw big money at Peppers. Done deal.

That move blew up Roseman’s offseason plans for the Eagles. There wasn’t a second option on the free agent market. The Eagles felt they needed a top pass rusher on the other side from Trent Cole. With no FA options, that just left the draft. There were three key pass rushers that year. Derrick Morgan from Georgia Tech was a star player from a football school. He had good size and athleticism. Brandon Graham had a great senior season and topped that off by being Senior Bowl MVP. He lacked ideal size, but was relentless, tough and highly productive. Jason Pierre-Paul had the best size/athleticism combo, but was coming from South Florida and felt like more of a projection.

The Eagles traded up from 24 to 13 and took BG. They loved him as the LDE and thought he would be a good interior rusher on passing downs, something he did really well in Mobile. Some people questioned trading up that high for BG. Mock drafts had him going in the second half of the first round. The Eagles passed on safety Earl Thomas and JPP.

BG got hurt late in his rookie year. Thomas became a star for Seattle and was a key part of the Legion of Boom. He helped them win the Super Bowl in 2013 and get back in 2014. JPP played for the rival Giants and helped them beat the Patriots in the SB in 2011. JPP had 16.5 sacks that season and looked like a star.

BG was rehabbing and adjusting to new coaches. Juan Castillo was running the defense (still feels insane to type that) and Jim Washburn was running the DL. Washburn and BG didn’t exactly hit it off. He only played in 3 games that year. BG did play a full season in 2012, but was mostly a backup on a highly dysfunctional team that finished the season 4-12. BG was more bust than legend at that point.

The Eagles trading up for him put pressure on BG. The fact Thomas and JPP had such big individual and team success made things even worse. I can’t tell you how often people asked "What if we had drafted Thomas? What if we had drafted JPP?” Eagles fans were not happy.

Chip Kelly came to town in 2013. That meant a fresh start for BG. Unfortunately it also meant adjusting the the 3-4. BG had played 4-3 DE in college and to start his pro career. Now he was a LB and having to learn how to drop into coverage. BG didn’t play a lot in 2013. He played more the next year and was a starter by 2015. He started 10 games and had 6.5 sacks.

Another coaching change brought the 4-3 defense back to town in 2016. Doug Pederson hired Jim Schwartz to run the D and BG felt right at home. He started 79 of the next 80 games. BG was a productive, disruptive pass rusher and run defender. He made the biggest play in Eagles history and helped them win their first ever Super Bowl.

BG got hurt again in 2021 and only played 2 games. He was a backup in the new 3-4 scheme the final three seasons, but was a key player in each of them. BG had his best season in 2022, racking up a career high 11 sacks. He went to 2 SBs in his final three years and walked off the field as a champion.

Legend.

Brandon Graham is a great story of perseverance. Things did not always go smoothly for him. He could have given up or gone elsewhere, but instead he fought through whatever came his way and carved out a spot for himself in Eagles history. In Philly history. BG is now a beloved figure in the city that was so tough on him for a long time.

BG has a great smile and bigger than life personality. He is an easy player to love. One of the things that always stands out to me is how much joy he brings to those around him. He genuinely loves being part of a football team. He genuinely loves playing the game of football. You watch clips of him and can’t help but break out with a big smile.

I would encourage you to watch his press conference. It is 37 minutes long, but there is a lot of wisdom in his comments. BG listens to the people in his life. He’s learned some hard lessons and shares some good insights. These aren’t football lessons, they are life lessons.

https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1BdxYqLDnjQxX

Legend.

http://igglesblitz.com/2025/03/bg-out-baby/

Dedicating all articles posted today to BG!