Saints Jimmy Graham Could End A Great Career With Slam Dunk Performance Against The Falcons

Against his team's biggest rival, Saints TE Jimmy Graham could possibly finish his NFL career in memorable fashion.

New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham returned to the franchise that gave him his start last offseason. A third-round pick out of the University of Miami (Fla.) by the Saints in the 2010 NFL Draft, Graham was considered a raw project.  He was actually recruited as a basketball player, appearing in 120 games and starting 40 contests in four years for the Hurricanes. 

Playing only one year of college football, Graham caught 17 passes for 213 yards and five touchdowns.  He was still an intriguing NFL prospect because of his combination of size (6'7" and 265-Lbs) and athletic ability.  Both traits were on display immediately in his first year as a pro.

Graham played sparingly as a rookie behind starting TE Jeremy Shockey. He'd still see action in 15 games, catching 31 passes for 356 yards and an impressive five touchdowns.   His performance as a rookie was enough to convince New Orleans to hand the starting tight end role over to Graham coming into the 2011 campaign. 

As one of the top performers on one of the best offenses in NFL history, Graham caught 99 passes for 1,310 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Saints in 2011.  At the time, it was the second most receptions for a tight end during a single season in NFL history.  If not for Rob Gronkowski's 1,327 yards, also in 2011, it would have been the most receiving yards for a tight end during a single season in NFL history. 

Nov 21, 2013; New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham (80) breaks a tackle by Atlanta Falcons safety William Moore (25). Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Between 2011 and 2014, Graham would be one of the NFL's top weapons. Over those four years, he averaged 89 receptions and 1,099 yards while catching 46 touchdowns.  In 2013, he led the NFL with 16 touchdown receptions. It is still the second most for a tight end in a single season in NFL history and remains a Saints franchise record. 

In one of the most controversial trades in team history, Graham was traded to the Seattle Seahawks during the 2015 offseason.  While he still had some productive years with the Seahawks, Packers, and Bears, he never achieved the same success he'd had in New Orleans. 

Graham's return to New Orleans was certainly nostalgic, but turned out to be anticlimactic.   Obviously no longer the same player, he's also been largely ignored by offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael.  Nevertheless, Graham still has four touchdown receptions on just six catches for the Saints this season. 

Saints TE Jimmy Graham bends the goal posts after a 2013 touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons. Credit: USA TODAY 

In essentially just a little over four full seasons with New Orleans, Graham has still made an indelible mark in team history. He has 392 catches for 4,791 yards and 55 touchdowns as a Saint. It also ranks second in New Orleans history for receiving scores and sixth on the franchise's all-time list in receptions and receiving yardage. 

Now 37 and in his 13th season, Graham might be suiting up for his final NFL game. How fitting that it comes against the Saints most hated rival, the Atlanta Falcons. Graham has carved out a permanent place in the nightmares of Falcon fans. In nine games against Atlanta as a Saint between 2010 and 2014, Graham caught 49 passes for 635 yards and eight touchdowns. 

Jimmy Graham isn't the Hall of Fame caliber player that he was a decade ago for the Saints. After a spectacular career for the team, how fitting would it be if Graham caught a big touchdown against bitter rival Atlanta, then culminated it (and perhaps his career) with his trademark dunk over the crossbar?