Eagles snap counts: Brandon Graham returns for Super Bowl LIX originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Just 11 weeks after tearing his triceps and declaring that he was out for the rest of the season, Brandon Graham made his return on Sunday night in New Orleans.
In the Super Bowl.
The Eagles crushed the Chiefs 40-22 in Super Bowl LIX and Graham played 13 defensive snaps in what could be his final game in the NFL. In those 13 snaps, Graham had a tackle and a QB pressure. He played well.
After the win, Graham said he wasn’t yet ready to make a decision about retirement.
“But, you know what,” Graham said, “if it is my last one, hell of a way to go out. I feel thankful. And I ain’t going nowhere. I’m going to be a part of the organization somehow.”
Here’s a full recap of snaps from Super Bowl LIX:
Other defensive notes
• High-priced free agent pickup Bryce Huff was inactive for the Super Bowl so Graham could dress. That’s something the Eagles will need to figure out next year.
• Josh Sweat had a monster game with 2 1/2 sacks and led the Eagles’ edge rushers in snaps with 46 (82%). Sweat had played 72% in the playoffs before the Super Bowl so the Eagles needed him even more in the big game. Nolan Smith played 30 snaps (54%), Jalyx Hunt played 23 snaps (41%) and Graham played 13 (23%). The entire line played well on Sunday.
• At defensive tackle, Jalen Carter led the way with 41 snaps (73%), followed by Milton Williams (25 snaps, 45%), Moro Ojomo (25 snaps, 45%), Jordan Davis (14 snaps, 25%) and Thomas Booker (7 snaps, 12 %). Carter faced constant double-teams in this game and the other guys benefitted. Williams had 2 sacks and one of them was a strip-sack. Jordan Davis had a sack, giving him two in the playoffs after having just one in the entire regular season. Ojomo got great pressure too.
• Because the Eagles were able to clear the bench, Oren Burks led the team in defensive snaps with 55. To put that into perspective, Burks played more defensive snaps in the Super Bowl than he did in the first 15 games of this season (43). All-Pro Zack Baun played 54 snaps and had another incredible game. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. got out there for the final two snaps.
• At cornerback, Quinyon Mitchell played 54 snaps, Cooper DeJean played 51, Darius Slay played 49, Isaiah Rodgers played 8, Avonte Maddox played 7 and Kelee Ringo played 2. DeJean made the play of the game with a pick-6 off Patrick Mahomes.
• At safety, Reed Blankenship played 54, followed by C.J. Gardner-Johnson (52) and Sydney Brown (2).
Offensive notes
• Jordan Mailata and Landon Dickerson were the only players on offense to play all 74 offensive snaps. They were followed by Cam Jurgens, Lane Johnson and Jalen Hurts, who each played 67 snaps (91%).
• Mekhi Becton played 61 snaps, briefly leaving with a knee injury. Tyler Steen played 13 in his place. Becton is a pending free agent and Steen is under contract for 2025.
• At receiver, A.J. Brown led the way with 65 snaps, followed by DeVonta Smith (57), Jahan Dotson (44), Parris Campbell (16) and Johnny Wilson (8). Smith had 4 caches for 69 yards and a touchdown, Brown had 3 for 43 and a touchdown and Dotson had 2 for 42.
• At running back, Saquon Barkley played 60 snaps (81%), followed by Kenny Gainwell 14 snaps (19%), Will Shipley 3 snaps (4%) and FB Khari Blasingame 3 snaps (4%). Barkley didn’t have a huge game on the ground (57 yards on 25 carries) but he also had 6 catches for 40 yards.
• At tight end, Dallas Goedert played 62 snaps (84%), followed by Grant Calcaterra 32 snaps (43%) and EJ Jenkins 6 snaps (8%).
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