Heading into Super Bowl LIX, the Philadelphia Eagles currently find themselves as betting underdogs to the Kansas City Chiefs. But perhaps the unexpected return of a longtime Eagles great could help them overcome the current odds.
Former Pro Bowl defensive end Brandon Graham has been out with a torn tricep since the end of November and was expected to be lost for the remainder of the Eagles season.
However, the Eagles’ run all the way to the Super Bowl has potentially changed Graham’s plans. On his WIP radio show on Monday, Graham hinted at the possibility that he could be taken off of the injured reserve list to potentially play in the Super Bowl. Although he did say that he is taking things “one day at a time”.
“I ain’t heard nothing, man,” Graham said via Eagles beat reporter Zach Berman. “I’m just excited to be here, excited for this team, excited for this moment. “I feel good. This has been the easiest injury, I’d say, out of the injuries I’ve had. Upper body stuff is a little bit easier. It’s just making sure I’m building muscle, I’m getting stronger, and doing the right things to where I’m not re-hurting it. We’ll see what the docs say, see what’s going on, and go from there.”
It will obviously depend on whether the Eagles doctors clear him for the game. But it sure sounds like Graham would like to be out there with his teammates for their matchup against the Chiefs. Even if it were in a more limited role given how much time he has missed.
Even in a limited role, Graham has certainly shown that he can rise to the occasion when it matters most. Graham is one of the few Eagles players remaining from the team’s win in Super Bowl LII against the New England Patriots in 2018.
In that game, Graham played an integral role, recording one sack and a forced fumble in the game to help the Eagles come away with a 41-33 victory.
At 36 years of age, Graham’s time in the NFL appears to be dwindling. And just based on how hard it is to make the Super Bowl, chances are he will never find himself in this kind of a position again as an NFL player.
Regardless of whether or not he plays, you can almost guarantee that he will do everything in his power to be out there if he is cleared by team doctors.
The Eagles will certainly need someone like Graham with as much experience as he has given the fact that they are up against a Chiefs team in search of NFL history by potentially becoming the only organization to ever win three consecutive Super Bowls.
