After capturing their first Super Bowl title following the 2017 season, the Philadelphia Eagles struggled to maintain momentum, posting back-to-back 9-7 campaigns before a disappointing four-win season led to the departure of coach Doug Pederson. But this time around, though, Eagles legend Brandon Graham doesn't expect the team to suffer a similar decline as reigning champions.
Graham, one of four players to play for both Philadelphia Super Bowl-winning teams, retired this past March. He spoke about the current roster on the "Exciting Mics" podcast, hosted by Eagles defensive backs Cooper DeJean and Reed Blankenship.
"You know what I like about what y'all got going on? Like, I don't think it's going to be no Super Bowl hangover," Graham said. "We didn't have the same type of team that y'all got now. Like, y'all got a bunch of the guys back."
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While only a handful of NFL teams have managed to win consecutive Super Bowls -- the Kansas City Chiefs being the most recent to do so before the Eagles stopped them from a three-peat -- Philadelphia's current roster might be uniquely positioned to avoid the post-championship slump.
The Eagles maintain a strong core on both sides of the ball with quarterback Jalen Hurts, running back Saquon Barkley, wide receiver A.J. Brown and tackles Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata all returning on offense and defensive lineman Jalen Carter, linebacker Zack Baun and the young secondary group of DeJean, Quinyon Mitchell and Blankenship on defense. With a deep roster of experienced players, Philadelphia could be built to sustain success rather than fall victim to the usual championship hangover.
"We lost a lot of defensive guys, like Milton [Williams], them guys on the D-line, but I still feel like there's a lot of guys under them that's ready to make their name too," Graham said. "But the back end, how y'all boys playing, and then linebackers. I mean, man, offense, everybody's still back. Nobody lost on the O-line. I feel like it's going to be a good one."
Graham also reflected on a message Eagles coach Nick Sirianni delivered during a team meeting in June, telling players to "treat praise like perfume. Sniff it, don't drink it -- it's poison."
Graham echoed that mindset, emphasizing the importance of consistent effort every day. With new players joining the team, everyone is watching how things are done, and it's the work in practice that ultimately shows up on game day. He warned that if the Eagles aren't pushing themselves in practice, it could be a sign of trouble ahead.
