Spoiler Alert: Eagles' Brandon Graham Showing Up For Tom Brady Day vs. Patriots
PHILADELPHIA – They had that moment in Minnesota, albeit a lopsided moment at that.
It was a moment heavily tilted in Brandon Graham’s favor because it was the Philadelphia Eagles defensive end who made that moment his when he forced a fumble from New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in the final three minutes of Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis.
The play led to a field goal that accounted for the final score, 41-33, and the first Super Bowl in franchise history. It was a moment that has made Graham an icon in Philadelphia and is universally acclaimed in the city as the best play ever in team history.
Now, Graham can potentially play spoiler again on Sunday, when the Eagles open the season against the Patriots in Foxboro, Mass., a game that's being billed as Tom Brady Day.
The former quarterback, now – finally – retired, will be honored prior to the start of the game.
“It’s going to be electric,” said Graham following Wednesday’s practice. “A lot of people are going to be in attendance. We just gotta do us, man, and enjoy the time. I’m just excited because it’s Week 1.”
Brandon Graham strip sacks Tom Brady late in the Eagles' Super Bowl LII victory
USA Today
Graham then let out a laugh when asked if he would try to strip Brady of the ball if he saw him on the sideline.
“It’s going to be good to see him go out right,” he said, “I’ll make sure I say, ‘What up?’ to him, say hello. It’s a business trip. We gotta go out there and take care of business.”
Graham will begin his 14th season in the NFL business, the sort of longevity that is somewhat surprising considering the slow start he got off to in his career as the 13th overall pick in the 2010 draft. And the business at hand is trying to go 1-0 to start a season of great expectations.
“Just trying to not let the time go by too fast for me,” he said. “You look forward to the game, but man, the game’s over just like that … That’s how fast the weeks go. I’m just trying to enjoy this part of it, and just know we’re preparing to be great this year. Right now, this is the first step.”
Perhaps someday, maybe even Sunday, he and Brady will have a chance to catch up.
They never did after Graham’s Super Bowl moment, even though the defensive end and legendary quarterback both went to the University of Michigan, albeit at different times.
“I never had a chance to have that moment outside of football,” Graham said. “When I’m up in Michigan, it never worked out where we were somewhere at the same time. Other than the Super Bowl. It would be cool to see how he felt, pick his brain a little bit.”
