Eagles Today

Quarterback Heaven in Week 15 For Eagles Brandon Graham and Jalen Hurts

Philadelphia Eagles Brandon Graham had some pregame fun with Tom Brady while Jalen Hurts talked about Brady and Russell Wilson.

Ed Kracz

Tom Brady and Brandon Graham meet up prior to Week 15 game between Eagles and Steelers
Tom Brady and Brandon Graham meet up prior to Week 15 game between Eagles and Steelers / Contributed photo
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PHILADELPHIA – Brandon Graham did it again. He caught Tom Brady before he realized he was tracking him prior to the start of the Eagles

This time, though, neither player had on pads. Graham is on the Eagles’ injured list. Brady is now a broadcaster for FOX and was the analyst in the booth for Sunday’s Eagles-Steelers game.

Graham approached one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time from behind put his hand on Brady’s back and turned to face him. Brady said, ‘Oh, no,” and the two started laughing, sharing a handshake then a hug.

It was a far different picture back in February of 2018 when Graham’s strip-sack fumble against Brady and the New England Patriots in the final few minutes of Super Bowl LII helped seal Philly’s first Super Bowl title.

“Hey, you got yours next year,” Graham said to Brady, referring the Patriots coming back from that Super Bowl loss to win it all.

Brady then wrapped his arms around Graham and imitated a strip-sack fumble. The two laughed again.

“It couldn’t happen to a better guy,” Brady said to Graham.

Graham said: “Man, I appreciate you. You went back next year and got you another (ring), so I was like, ‘thank you, at least you aren’t mad at me anymore.”

Brady said, “I never was.”

The two posed for a picture after that.

Brandon Graham and Tom Brady
Feb 4, 2018; Minneapolis, MN, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) is hit by Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham (55) to force a fumble in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Quarterback Jalen Hurts wasn’t aware Brady was serving as the color analyst for the game until just before the game.

“He’s obviously a great player, won,” said Hurts. “Tons of respect for him, competing against him even. It was cool.”

For Hurts, it was cooler playing and beating Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson.

“He's paved the way for a ton of guys, including myself,” he said. “My brother loved him. I loved him and still love him. Watched him do many things where people said he couldn't, and he's experienced some adversity. And he's overcome that, and he's come back stronger from it.

“And so to be able to go to battle against him (Sunday), a guy that I looked up to and have a ton of respect for, defied all odds with his size. And being able to go to championships and win a championship, tons of respect for him. Definitely cool beating him, but nothing but love for him.”

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Ed Kracz
ED KRACZ

Ed Kracz has been covering the Eagles full-time for over a decade and has written about Philadelphia sports since 1996. He wrote about the Phillies in the 2008 and 2009 World Series, the Flyers in their 2010 Stanely Cup playoff run to the finals, and was in Minnesota when the Eagles secured their first-ever Super Bowl win in 2017. Ed has received multiple writing awards as a sports journalist, including several top-five finishes in the Associated Press Sports Editors awards.

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