Graham Backer

In their offseason of seeing many potential exits, the Philadelphia Eagles calmed some nerves and provided stability to the organization by bringing back a team legend and Super Bowl hero.

Pro Bowl defensive end and longtime Eagles team captain Brandon Graham is returning for his 14th season with the Eagles, he told ESPN, agreeing to a one-year deal worth $6.5 million.

Graham ultimately passed up potential outside free agent offers to stay with a Super Bowl contender. The new league year begins Wednesday.

The 2010 first-round pick, known for strip-sacking Patriots superstar Tom Brady to secure the Birds’ first Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl LII, told ESPN he’s returning not for money, but for unfinished business.

“I definitely don’t want to miss out on this championship that we’re about to make a run for,” Graham told ESPN

Coming off a torn Achilles in 2021 – an injury that can slow the career of any NFL player, much less at 34-years-old – Graham returned as explosive as ever, putting forth a career-high 11 sacks despite playing just 43% of the team’s defensive snaps.

Graham rotated with defense ends/edge defenders Haason Reddick and Josh Sweat, which kept legs fresh and helped the Eagles set a franchise record with 70 sacks.

His return, along with Reddick’s and Sweat’s presence, solidifies an edge-rush rotation that combined for 38 sacks between the three players in 2022.

– Benjamin Paul is a staff writer for InsideTheBirds.com.

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