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| Photo: Philadelphia Eagles |
Thousands of players have come and gone here in Philly, but few have had the impact of Brandon Graham. There have been players that were so popular, just one name can identify them...Schmitty, Reggie, Jaws, Dawk, Doc, Bryce...and so many others. But with Brandon Graham, forget one word. You only need two letters. BG.
BG gave us Sunday afternoon joy, as opposed to The Bee Gees, who gave us Saturday Night Fever. But there's no need to ask "How Deep is Your Love", because it runs extremely deep on both sides. It's not Jive Talkin' to suggest that Brandon Graham is arguably the most beloved athlete ever in Philly. It truly was..."A Love So Right".
He got us and we got him. It was a beautiful relationship. Like some long-term relationships, it didn't start off that well. Early on the "B" didn't stand for "Brandon". In many fans eyes, it meant "bust". But unlike a lot of athletes in this town's sports history, he let that motivate him. He let the naysayers fuel his desire and work ethic to get better. And 15 years later, he retires as an all-time franchise great. He mentioned that in his farewell speech. "To Philadelphia, we didn't start so tight as you know. You made me work for this and I appreciate you for that".
Look at the numbers. 76.5 sacks, good for third in franchise history. 22 forced fumbles, including perhaps the most famous one, on Tom Brady in Super Bowl LII. Plus the big number...206 games played...the most in Eagles history.
But beyond the numbers is the man. Has there been a more likeable guy to ever play in this city? If he's not #1 on that list, he is at least in the top 3. I'm sad to say I have never met Brandon, so I can't speak to this personally. But I know plenty of people who know him and nobody has a bad thing to say about BG. He has been an amazing representative of our team and our city.
It was bittersweet watching that press conference. I wanted him to retire, for him. Not for me, and not for the Eagles. Selfishly I wanted him back. But can you think of a better way to go out? Winning the Super Bowl. And not just winning, but absolutely crushing the two-time defending champs. It was like a Hollywood script, how Graham worked his ass off to get back from injury in time for the Super Bowl. Then he got in the game and played well. A fitting ending for a franchise legend.
In true BG form, he punctuated that with a retirement press conference that we won't soon forget. "This game has changed my life, but more importantly this city has changed my life. It has given me a purpose far beyond football. It has shown me what it means to be a leader, a friend, a man of faith and integrity. While my time on the field is coming to an end, my love for this team and this city will never fade. Philadelphia and everybody from the bottom of my heart, I just want to thank y'all. E-A-G-L-E-S Eagles! Fly Eagles Fly. BG out baby!"
Perfectly stated. I'll add one more thing. Thank you BG. For everything.