When Brandon Graham’s parents enrolled him in Little League Football to keep him busy and off the dangerous streets of Detroit, they would have never imagined the success he would build upon the sport.
Highlights
- Brandon Graham’s parents, Derrick Walton and Tasha Graham, played a crucial role in his early life by keeping him busy with football to stay out of trouble in Detroit’s rough neighborhoods.
- Graham had a distinguished high school and collegiate football career, earning numerous accolades and eventually being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft.
- Brandon and his wife, Carlyne, are deeply involved in community service through their charity, Team Graham 55, which focuses on helping at-risk youth.
Brandon Graham, the Philadelphia Eagles’ NFL defensive end, has recently been making headlines after controversial statements suggesting that teammates Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown’s friendship may not be on the best of terms.
However, Graham later apologized for his remarks, admitting that he had assumed things about their relationship that were inaccurate.
Brandon Graham weighs in. 🗣️ https://t.co/mr9yn8HwBP pic.twitter.com/tax1VNJWBv
— theScore (@theScore) December 10, 2024
Nevertheless, this renewed interest in Brandon Graham has sparked some curiosity among fans, particularly about his early life, parents, wife, and children.
Brandon’s Parents Introduced Him To Football To Keep Him Away From The Streets
Brandon Graham was born on April 3, 1988, in Detroit, Michigan, to Derrick Walton and Tasha Graham.
He grew up with his three sisters: Brianna Walton, Brittany Duncan, and Mikyla Walton.
Brandon’s football journey began at the tender age of seven when his parents, determined to keep him out of trouble and away from the dangerous streets of Detroit, kept him occupied with football.
In an interview, Brandon’s mother, Tasha, said,
Detroit is a rough city. It’s rough. We all grew up in the roughest area, so you really had to be really, really close to your family. Keep your kids, you know, out of all that stuff, ‘cause it was bad. He went to summer camp, stayed all day at summer camp, he had football in the evenings. When he got home, He was too tired to eat. So, we just basically kept him busy.
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She added that when she first enrolled Brandon in Little League Football, despite his obvious talent, she could have never imagined how it would turn out.
Brandon attended the Crockett High School in Detroit, where he was a highly decorated and highly rated linebacker.
He served as the captain for the 2006 U.S. Army All-American Bowl and was listed on numerous All-American lists.
Graham was a finalist for some of the highest individual honors a high school football player can earn.
After graduating from high school, Graham played college football at the University of Michigan from 2006 to 2009.
He was an All-American college football player and earned several accolades during his collegiate career.
Brandon Graham, Detroit Crockett star and No. 1 player in Michigan in 2005.
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) February 5, 2018
This was the cover of a local football magazine in metro Detroit. Tonight, he’s a Super Bowl champion. pic.twitter.com/QevRnohuNc
In 2008, he led the Big Ten Conference in tackles for loss, with 20 in 11 games. In 2009, he posted 26 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks in 12 games.
Graham was named the 2009 Big Ten Conference co-MVP and was a finalist for the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football Hendricks Award. He was also named MVP of the 2010 Senior Bowl.
He was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles as the 13th overall pick in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft, where he has spent his entire career.
As of November 2024, Brandon Graham has earned approximately $97,755,925 throughout his NFL career.
Brandon Graham Is A Husband, Father And Social Worker
Brandon, who is a husband and a father, has now realized his parents’ motive behind their tough attitude towards his childhood football career and has decided to do the same for at-risk kids of today.
Via this charity, “Team Graham 55,” Brandon helps the youth stay out of trouble and focus on football. He also visits elementary and middle schools during his offseason.
Brandon’s Wife, Carlyne Graham, Is A Mother, Scholar, And Social Worker
Brandon is married to Carlyne Graham, a social worker and licensed psychotherapist.
The pair met in high school and have been together for over two decades, marrying on May 24, 2024.
Carlyne has a strong educational background, holding dual degrees in criminal justice and sociology from Lane College and social work and child and family law from Loyola University in Chicago.
Together, Brandon and Carlyne and two children— Emerson Abigail Graham, born in 2016, and Bryson Walton Graham, born in 2019.
Both children are often seen attending their father’s games and cheering from the sidelines alongside their mother.
Carlyne is actively involved in community service and co-directs the Team Graham project with Brandon.
She is also quite active on Instagram, where she posts glimpses from her life as a mother and wife of a decorated NFL star.
In May 2024, Brandon and Carlyne received honorary degrees from Saint Joseph’s University in recognition of their leadership, mentorship, and community service through their organization.
Additional Information
- Brandon Graham is responsible for one of the biggest plays in Philadelphia sports history. He made a pivotal strip-sack on Tom Brady in the closing minutes of Super Bowl LII, which helped secure the Eagles’ first Super Bowl victory.
- Among players with at least 1,000 pass-rush snaps since 2010, he ranks seventh in pass-rush win rate and 11th in pressure rate.
