Jimmy Graham plans to finally make it official sometime this year and announce his retirement from the NFL.
The longtime tight end told John DeShazier of the New Orleans Saints’ website that he will hang up his cleats for good later this year and do so as a member of the team where he began and ended his NFL career.
Graham, 38, has not played in the NFL since 2023 season and has been busy taking part in the Arctic Challenge, a journey across the Arctic Ocean that saw Graham and three other team members row over 584 nautical miles in 10 days.
When he began training for the Arctic Challenge in 2024, Graham wasn’t sure if he was retired and added if he did play again it would only be with the Saints.
Graham, a 2010 third-round draft pick out of Miami, will finish his football playing days having been a part of the Saints, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears over 13 seasons.
A five-time Pro Bowler and first-team All-Pro in 2013, Graham recorded two 1,000-plus yard receiving seasons and led the NFL in receiving touchdowns in 2013 with 16. He made 719 receptions, recorded 8,545 receiving yards and 89 touchdowns in his career.
After sitting out the 2022 season, Graham returned to New Orleans on a one-year deal in 2023. He played in 13 games and scored four times.
