Former star tight end Jimmy Graham to retire from NFL as member of New Orleans Saints

Five-time Pro Bowl tight end Jimmy Graham will officially retire from the NFL this year as a member of the New Orleans Saints, John DeShazier of the Saints’ team website reports. Graham played just one of the last three seasons and spent that 2023 campaign with the Saints in a reunion following stints with the Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears.

Graham was one of the NFL’s top tight ends for just over a decade and rose to prominence with the Saints, who drafted him in the third round in 2010. He spent the first five years of his career in New Orleans and logged the best seasons of his career with the franchise, cracking the 1,000-yard threshold twice and leading the league in touchdowns during the 2013 season with 16.

“What a journey 🙏🏽🖤💛,” Graham said on social media in response to the retirement report.

In the time since his last NFL appearance, Graham took on ventures including a historic rowing excursion in the Arctic Ocean. Graham and a four-person crew completed the Arctic Challenge this month, rowing more than 584 nautical miles over 10 days to shatter a record for the fastest polar ocean crossing, which previously stood at just over 15 days. Graham and the team raised money during the voyage through the frigid waters off the coast of Norway.

Graham sat out the 2022 season prior to his final chapter with the Saints. He played in 13 games during the farewell campaign, and while he made just six catches on the year, four of them went for touchdowns.

With the 2023 stats added to Graham’s ledger, he closed his career with 719 receptions, 8,545 yards and 89 touchdowns across 13 seasons and four teams.

Graham joined the Saints on the heels of their 2009 Super Bowl victory but never advanced beyond the divisional round. Twice, though, he led the team in receiving and played an integral role in New Orleans’ run as a mainstay in the playoff picture. He was also just two years late in joining the Seahawks after their run to the Super Bowl but again helped them compete regularly for postseason berths.