Jimmy Graham will be the first to admit that he’s an emotional football player, and it’s taken him a long time to get over the New Orleans Saints trading him away a decade ago — but now he’s returned, bringing his career full-circle. Graham spoke with local media after Saturday’s training camp practice, acknowledging that he hadn’t done any interviews in years because he didn’t have many positives to share.
That’s changed for the better. Graham is back in black and gold wearing the same No. 80 jersey that thousands of fans once wore proudly. It’s early, and he still has to earn a spot on the final roster. But that’s all part of a process Graham is now embracing.
“For me, I have been trying to come home for a long time,” Graham said in his opening statement. “You know, last year I had some conversations, and determined that I really didn’t want to play anywhere else. A couple of teams were reaching out, all teams that made the playoffs, I just couldn’t see myself wearing another jersey again. Hopefully if there was ever an opportunity to come back home, to make it happen here, and it did, and I’m here now.”
Graham says he spoke with his agent and made it clear that he wouldn’t play football again if wasn’t going to be with the Saints, intending to retire all along with the team that had drafted him. Contract disputes are behind him, and so is any bad blood from the trade that sent him away. His attention is focused on what’s in front of him: proving he’s a better option than his competition for the third roster spot at tight end behind Juwan Johnson and Foster Moreau.
“I’m still 6-7 and I like the red zone,” Graham said matter-of-factly. When asked if he’d try his signature touchdown celebration so close to his 37th birthday in November, Graham chuckled, “I can still dunk brother. I think I will be able to dunk ’til I’m 50. Still no penalties, I’m still waiting on them to change that one.”
