It's been a tough go for Jimmy Graham ever since he was traded to the Seattle Seahawks last season. He changed the narrative on Monday night.
Not long ago, Graham was considered the second best tight end in the NFL behind Rob Gronkowski. With Drew Brees tossing him the pigskin, Graham regularly topped, or approached, the 1,000-yard mark. His best season came in 2013, when he gained 1,215 receiving yards while scoring 16 touchdowns.
Before the 2015 season, Graham was shipped to the Seahawks, and in their system, he struggled to get going. His run blocking was never a strong suit, which hampered his effectiveness with Marshawn Lynch and Thomas Rawls carrying the load. Eventually, an injury ended his season early. Graham was averaging under 60 yards per outing, and he only had two touchdowns in 11 games.
The script has flipped in 2016. Seattle is going to the air much more, and Graham is excelling. Even though his touchdown numbers are still down, he's on pace for a 76-catch, 1,090-yard season.
He was especially dominant on Monday night. Against the Bills, Graham made a pair of one-handed TD grabs while catching all eight passes thrown his way.
After the game, Graham addressed the doubters who didn't believe he'd return to form when he injured his patellar tendon last November. He's currently on pace to make his fourth Pro Bowl.
Article Continues BelowFrom ESPN's Sheil Kapadia:
“I’m excited because a lot of people didn’t believe that I’d come back,” Graham said. “A lot of people just didn’t believe that I’d be able to be me again. To go out there and do that [Monday], it means a lot because I put so much work in. When no one was watching, I was in the shadows working.”
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“I cherish every second on that field,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what I’m doing out there, I love it. Because it was taken from me, and at times not knowing if I would get it back.”
His quarterback, Russell Wilson, also spoke on Graham's toughness and will to be great:
“Play after play, catch after catch, the catches that he’s making, his grit, his ability to overcome situations and obstacles, it’s a true testament to the character of man that he is and the person that he is,” Wilson said.