Retirement and Possible Last Home Game Not on Minds of Eagles' Veterans

Brandon Graham, Jason Kelce, and Fletcher Cox have been teammates in Philly their entire careers but are free agents at season's end

PHILADELPHIA – There was a humorous yet telling scene last month in the Eagles’ locker room as Brandon Graham was holding court with reporters when Fletcher Cox, whose locker is right next to Graham’s, walked past holding a toothbrush.

Cox said: “Don’t forget to brush your teeth, BG.”

“I tell all the people that I feel like me and BG been married for 11 years now,” said Cox. “Some of the things he does, it’s just second nature. You get used to it. We talk about it a lot.”

Their entire careers have been spent together in Philadelphia. The divorce will come eventually, maybe as soon as just another couple of months.

After all, neither player agreed to stay together until death does them part, only until age finally caught up with them, robbing them of the skills that allowed them to be two of the best players in Eagles' history.

Neither player and another lifelong Eagle, Jason Kelce, wanted to think about the possibility that Sunday’s NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers could be their final home game in an Eagles uniform.

All three are on year-to-year deals at this point in their splendid careers.

All three have provided invaluable leadership on a team transitioning to younger, impactful players, and that is a difficult thing to put a price tag on.

“It’s something I haven’t thought about,” said Cox. “I know I’m still playing at a high level, so that hasn’t crossed my mind once, at all. I’m just enjoying the moment, seizing every moment that I’m here, appreciating my teammates.

“And after the season, again, it’s the first time ever in my career that I’ll be a free agent and get to make a choice. But at the end of the day, I think the most important part now is getting focused on this game and not just the future.”

Cox was a free agent for about 48 hours this offseason after the Eagles released him with the promise to bring him back at a lower price and on a one-year deal, which they did.

Kelce said he hasn’t thought as much about retirement as he did after the 2020 season, when the Eagles were in disarray after winning four games, firing head coach Doug Pederson, and trading away QB Carson Wentz.

“I think maybe three years ago, maybe Doug’s last year that was on my mind quite a bit,
he said. “I’ve learned now that I don’t know when that last game is going to come so maybe I think about it a little bit less.

“There’s always a chance that’s going to be the situation. But you just try to think about the game and focus on taking in the moment and being 100 percent there. It’s hard enough doing it that way. It’s going to be a lot harder if you’re not focused.”

Kelce’s heir apparent is in place in Cam Jurgens, but who knows, maybe Jurgens plays right guard next year if Isaac Seumalo, another free agent, doesn’t return and Kelce does.

As for Graham, he had the first double-digit sack season in his career and was used in a role designed to keep him fresh. Another season in Philly would not be out of the question.

“I haven’t really thought about it,” said Graham. “I’m just more so trying to finish the deal on this season then we’ll talk more as that goes. I’m just trying to stop time as much as I can by just enjoying this moment right here with us, sitting up here (on the stage at NovaCare Complex talking to reporters) because these moments come and go so fast.

“One minute I’m talking to ya’ll, next minute I’m in there getting ready for work, next minute, the day is over and we’re on to the next day. So, I’m just like, bang, playing for the NFC championship. I only played one time in it and you know what we did that year, so it’s cool to be in this moment again.”

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.