Eagles' "good dude" Brandon Graham about to break David Akers' team record for games played
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Eagles fans will never forget when Brandon Graham stripped the ball from Tom Brady in the waning moments of Super Bowl LI I — a play we called the "greatest defensive play in Eagles history" back in 2018.
He's already gone down in Birds history — but on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, the defensive end Graham will put on his Kelly Green No. 55 jersey and make history once again.
MORE: Watch Eagles-Bills Sunday, Nov. 26 on CBS Philadelphia
Sunday's game will be Graham's 189th game, meaning he'll surpass a record once held by kicker David Akers. Akers is a six-time Pro Bowler who played 188 games for the Birds from 1999-2010.
Brandon Graham with some praise for David Akers (@David2Akers) as he’s set to pass his franchise record for games played with #Eagles. pic.twitter.com/fhEtZVXIiw
— Jeff Kerr (@JeffKerrCBS) November 25, 2023
"I played with David Akers, and I know how good of a dude he is," Graham told reporters including CBS Sports' Jeff Kerr in the locker room. "For me to do that, I ain't no kicker, but boy it's good to be a part of that conversation."
(By the way, the Swifties' favorite Eagle, center Jason Kelce, is close behind at 186 games played.) And defensive tackle Fletcher Cox has 182.
A 35-year-old in his 14th NFL season, all with the Birds, Graham also opened up in the locker room about what he hopes fans will see as his legacy.
"I just want people to talk about how hard I played on the field and how selfless I was, as possibly as I could," Graham said. "We all got our goals on what we want to do, but I feel like the team goals and personal goals kind of go hand-in-hand."
Graham also has a custom Detroit-style pizza named after him at the Collegeville Italian Bakery — $2 from every Brandon Graham Detroit 55 Pizza sold goes to the Eagles Autism Foundation.
"I would want people to say 'he went about it the right way,'" Graham said. "People know me, people meet me, I'm gonna try to be the best dude I can be...You can't please everybody, but I know that for me, I'm going to try to be the best me every day."
The Eagles kick off against the Bills at 4:25 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 26 on CBS Philadelphia.