How one retirement opened door for Eagles’ Brandon Graham to make his own NFL comeback originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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One retirement has led to a possible comeback from another for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Brandon Graham is reportedly mulling a return to the NFL, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter in a new story out Sunday morning.

The Eagles lost a pass rusher to retirement earlier this month when Za’Darius Smith opted to hang up his cleats.

“(Graham) retired last offseason but has missed the game and pondered unretiring,” Schefter wrote. “Once Smith retired, it created even more of a need for the Eagles, and now the two sides are closing in on making it happen.”

Graham played 15 seasons for the Eagles, making him the longest-tenured player in Philly history.

He’s a two-time Super Bowl champion. In February, he returned from a torn triceps muscle to help the Eagles beat the Chiefs.

That could’ve been the final game of his career, but now he’s coming back.

“Graham holds the Eagles record for most regular-season games played (206) and is third in franchise history with 76.5 career sacks,” Schefter writes. “He made his lone Pro Bowl in 2020 and recorded his first double-digit sack campaign in 2022, posting 11 takedowns. 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 the city of Philadelphia.”

The Eagles have Nolan Smith Jr. on IR along with Ogbo Okoronkwo, so they could really use some pass rushing help.

It sure looks like Graham is eager to provide it.