Jimmy Graham To Retire With New Orleans Saints, The Team He’s Loved For Years

Jimmy Graham is getting ready to call it a career — and he’s doing it with the team that means the most to him. The 38-year-old tight end shared on Tuesday that this will be his final NFL season, ending things where it all started — in New Orleans.

New Orleans Saints Always Felt Like Home

In a reply to a Saints reporter on social media, Graham wrote just a few words that said a lot: “What a journey.” It was simple, honest, and from the heart — a clear sign of what this team and this chapter of his life meant to him.

Graham hadn’t played in 2022 but returned to suit up again in 2023. By the end of his career, he’ll have appeared in 197 games total — with 91 of them coming as a Saint. It’s only fitting that his final snaps come in black and gold.

Jimmy Graham’s Career Numbers Tell the Story

He entered the league back in 2010, a third-round pick by the Saints after playing just one year of college football at the University of Miami. Before that, he was a basketball player. But on the football field, he found something bigger — a place he truly belonged.

In six seasons with New Orleans, he was electric. Graham made six Pro Bowls and earned two All-Pro nods. His 2013 season was his best — 16 touchdowns and 1,215 yards. He was nearly impossible to defend, especially in the red zone where he towered over defenders with ease.

He finished his Saints run with 386 catches for 4,752 yards and 51 touchdowns. Every year, he seemed to make the highlight reels, and his chemistry with quarterback Drew Brees made him one of the most dangerous weapons in the game.

Beyond the Saints: The Rest of His NFL Road

After his time in New Orleans, Graham still had a lot left in the tank. He played three seasons in Seattle, then spent two each with Green Bay and Chicago. No matter the jersey, he kept making plays and racking up stats along the way.

In 2023, he returned to the Saints — a full-circle moment that felt right. Across his entire NFL career, he recorded 719 catches for 8,545 yards and 89 touchdowns. Among tight ends, he ranks fourth all-time in touchdown receptions. For a guy who once played hoops, that’s something special.

Life Off the Field and One Last Goodbye

Graham hasn’t just stayed busy with football. During his break from the league, he took on a new challenge — joining a four-man rowing crew that crossed the Arctic Circle and set a new speed record doing it. That kind of adventure seems pretty fitting for someone like him.

Now, as he walks away from the NFL, it’s not just the numbers that people will remember. It’s the heart, the effort, and the way he played the game. And most of all — it’s how he’s finishing his story right where it all began: with the New Orleans Saints.

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