The NFL is all about relationships. When Jimmy Graham first joined the New Orleans Saints back in 2010, he arrived without many resources to lean on — so it didn’t take long for him to bond with his new quarterback Drew Brees. When they weren’t setting records on the field, Graham grew close with Brees’ family, filling in as a (very) big brother to the quarterback’s children and joining them for Thanksgiving dinner.
And that relationship endured when the Saints traded Graham away all those years ago. Brees was quick to congratulate Graham on his return to New Orleans, which the big tight end shared after Saturday’s training camp practice.
“Yes he has (reached out),” Graham replied with a big smile. “I’m gonna call him tomorrow, I’ll probably FaceTime him and catch up. He was, let’s say, shocked for sure. Tomorrow we’ll have a conversation and I’ll be able to relate some things to him. Obviously we’ve always communicated over the years.”
Those bonds mean a lot to Graham. He still sees Brees as one of his greatest influences in the NFL, and he’s eager to return the favor to the next generation of pros.
Graham continued, “He’s an older brother to me, everything he taught me, how he brought me under his wing, now I’m in the reverse role with other guys on the team. It’s interesting, and fun, to do the things that were done for me.”
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