Few players in Philadelphia Eagles history have been as revered as longtime defensive end Brandon Graham. A former NFL All-Pro, Graham has spent his entire 15-year career with the Eagles, making his latest announcement all the more emotional for the team and its fans.
Graham revealed he will miss the remainder of the season after tearing his triceps during the Eagles’ Week 12 win over the Los Angeles Rams.
“Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham will miss the remainder of the season, he told reporters Sunday night, after tearing his triceps during Philadelphia’s 37-20 victory over the Los Angeles Rams,” ESPN’s Tim McManus reported on November 24. “Graham, a longtime team captain, has played his entire 15-year NFL career in Philadelphia.”
The 36-year-old defensive end is playing on a one-year, $4 million deal signed in March 2024.
NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Ashley Sullivan reported Graham was emotional in the locker room after the win.
“If I had to go out like this, I gave it everything I got,” Graham told Sullivan.
Graham Recorded Sack in Win Over Rams
Despite the injury, Graham has made an impact this season, recording 3.5 sacks, including one on Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford in Week 12. The Eagles’ victory was their seventh in a row, improving their record to 9-2.
Graham is also remembered for delivering one of the most iconic plays in franchise history — the strip sack of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in Super Bowl LII. The play helped secure the Eagles’ first Super Bowl title.
Selected by the Eagles in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft (No. 16 overall) out of Michigan, Graham was the 2009 Big Ten MVP. He earned All-Pro honors in 2016 and made the Pro Bowl in 2020. Through the 2024 season, Graham’s career earnings total $97.7 million.
Rookie Jalyx Hunt Poised to Step Up
Graham’s season-ending injury creates an opportunity for rookie linebacker Jalyx Hunt to take on a larger role. This news comes just days after the Eagles placed edge rusher Bryce Huff on injured reserve following a wrist procedure that will sideline him for at least four weeks.
Huff, who joined the Eagles on a three-year, $51 million contract before the 2024 season, has started five of the team’s 10 games. He has recorded 10 tackles, 2.5 sacks, four quarterback hits, and a forced fumble.
“The hope is (Huff) can return before the end of the season, but Huff will miss multiple weeks,” Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams wrote on November 22.
Hunt had already begun to see more playing time, especially following the Week 10 win over the Dallas Cowboys.
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Hunt’s Development
Hunt, who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 252 pounds, was an FCS All-American and the Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year at Houston Christian in 2023. The Eagles selected him in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft (No. 94 overall).
“Hunt’s 25 snaps against the Cowboys were the most the rookie edge has played all season,” wrote Heavy.com’s Beth Mishler-Elmore on November 11. “Huff has played 18 snaps over his last two games combined. Considering the money Philadelphia spent on Huff, that’s a concerning number.”
With both Graham and Huff sidelined, Hunt will have a chance to prove himself as a key contributor for the Eagles as they push toward the postseason.
