PHILADELPHIA — The real-life Rocky Balboa played in a Philadelphia Eagles uniform for 15 years.
Brandon Graham was doubted. He was known for being the player the Eagles didn’t take over the ones they should have. He wasn’t Earl Thomas or Jason Pierre-Paul, the two players selected after him that had immediate success in the league.
Instead, Graham was a player not living up to expectations. He was underperforming, often injured, and couldn’t get an opportunity to prove himself on the field. The 2010 first-round draft pick was lost, confused, and simply failed to earn playing time to be a consistent regular.
The bust label was already written for Graham, who had just 8.5 sacks and four forced fumbles in three seasons. His performance was simply not good enough for a player selected in the first round.
Most teams would have moved on. Not the Eagles, who gave a player most teams would have moved on from another chance to succeed.
Like Rocky, Graham didn’t deserve that chance. It took one coach to make sure he kept having one — Andy Reid.
“You were the first to bring me here,” an emotional Graham said in his retirement speech. “The first to look me in my eye and tell me I belong. That moment changed everything for me. I will always be grateful for that.”
Even though the Eagles moved on from Reid, the belief was still there Graham could make it in the NFL. He even underwent a position change to linebacker in a defense that didn’t fit his game to stick around, playing out of position but doing everything he was asked to do just to remain in Philadelphia.
Brandon Graham retires: Here’s what sealed his decision to walk away after 15 seasons with Eagles
Jeff Kerr
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