While there was plenty of Eagle euphoria on the field late in what would become a 37-20 victory over the Los Angeles Rams Sunday night, and certainly a deserved sense of celebration afterward, the Birds’ traveling party in La-La Land was blunted by some unexpected late news. Brandon Graham, the beloved human connection between the Birds of old and this increasingly exciting young team, off-handedly announced his season, and perhaps his career is over. There had been a brief moment when reporters gathered near him in the locker room, and he made his announcement that he was finished for the season, where a reporter or two issued a short laugh. That would be Graham having some fun. As it turned out, he wasn’t doing that this time. “I’m out for the rest of the year … yeah, I tore my triceps,” Graham said. “I got hit in my elbow, tore my triceps, but man, like I told the boys, the mission is still the mission. We pour everything we can into this game … I trust God. But I’m just enjoying myself. I’m about to enjoy this little rehab, and I’m about to enjoy leaving the scene – the rest of the year. As soon as I can be back out there I’ll be out there.” That latter statement wasn’t one intending to prepare the Eagles for his desire to sign a contract for another season. In fact, it was more a personal Graham mission statement, to help out any way he can during what he sizes up as a potential 2024 Super Bowl season. Asked immediately if that meant he intended – at what will be 37 years of age – to go through the long rigors of not only a rehab, but offseason training in preparation for what would be a 16th season, Graham said, “I’m just trying to process everything right now. I ain’t got that far. But you know what? I’m going to keep my spirits up keep enjoying it, man, because we’ve got a special team right now, and it’s time for some other people to step on up. “I’m happy this is where we’re at, I’m happy (for) the team. If anything, If I’m going to go out, I’m happy for the way I played today.” Indeed, Graham was having an outstanding season. And against the Rams he might have been having his best game of the season, with two tackles, a quarterback sack, three quarterback hits and a pass breakup. That and the chatter both to the other team and to his teammates that they find so valuable. “I couldn’t ask for anything else with this team we’ve got,” Graham added. “I’m just going to stay focused and I’m going to make sure, with me as a leader, I’m going to make sure my presence is felt as far as that part.” With his sack of Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, Graham moved into third place on the Eagles’ all-time sack list with 76.5, behind only Reggie White and Trent Cole. “When he tore his Achilles (in 2021), he was in the same mood,” longtime Graham teammate Lane Johnson said. “He swore he was going to come back and be better than he was, and he did. But for me, I’m devastated for him. He’s probably one of the best leaders I’ve been around. Not only how he plays, but how he mentors guys on and off the field. He’s kind of like a father figure to a lot of these guys and I think that this story just screams perseverance and resiliency, just with everything he’s overcome. Especially the year he’s having. “People thought this was a farewell tour, it was just us tipping our hats to him. But the guy can play football and he can play it at a very high level. I love him … he was having a terrific game today. He’s in a positive spirit, he’s going to be there with us … but at the end of the day, it’s hard to replace a guy like that.” Graham said he’d been suffering some tendinitis in the triceps area before the game, and that when he was chip-blocked by a Rams running back, he felt more pain there. “But it stung a little longer,” he said. “Then when they examined me I knew something wasn’t right.” Graham was told the news by a team medical officials toward the end of the game. He said he “just tried to process it out there. … Then I came off, ended up calling my wife, just let her know the news. Now the kid’s crying … but look, at the end of the day it is what it is. No sense in crying about it, just have to know that I put everything into it. It hurt, but I’m telling you, I’m going to be better from it.” Graham played in a club-record 206 Eagles games. Could No. 207 be sometime next September? Despite his pronouncement last July that this 15th Eagles season would indeed be his last, Graham left a door open in the emotional aftermath of seeing this last season end prematurely. “I don’t want to go out like this, but if it’s pointing toward that, hey, we’ll see,” he said. “I don’t know what the team’s going to be feeling at that time, but for me, I don’t want to go out like this. I definitely want to be able to finish a whole season before I’m done, but if that ain’t in the cards, I’m content where I’m at, too. I’m just not there yet. I’m like, let’s finish this, see how rehab’s going and we’ll go from there. “I’m going to be around the building anyway. Even for next year, whatever position they want to have me at, I just want to give (the players) that mental toughness they have to continue to have, because stuff will happen, and it’s how you deal with it. “I’m just dealing right now.”