NEW ORLEANS — Three days after the Saints' season finale on Sunday, New Orleans tight end Jimmy Graham posted an ambiguous series of stories on his official Instagram account with one in particular leaving doubt as to the future of his NFL career.
"It's been real [New Orleans]. Thank you for all the love," posted Graham from the cockpit of an airplane high above the city on Wednesday afternoon.
The 13-year NFL veteran, who played his first five seasons in New Orleans, returned to the Saints in 2023 after taking the previous year off from playing pro football.
Graham caught six passes on seven targets for 39 yards and four touchdowns during the 13 games he was activated for this season.
His career numbers are far more impressive.
The five-time Pro Bowler has amassed 8,545 yards receiving with an 11.9 average and 89 touchdowns – 55 of those TDs with the Saints.
The 37-year-old joined the Saints in 2010 as a third-round selection (No. 95 overall) out of the University of Miami (Fla.). In 2015, the 6-foot-7, 265-pounder was traded to the Seattle Seahawks in one of the team's most unpopular trades in franchise history.
In fact, Graham told current ESPN talk show host Pat McAfee back in August that he and then-Saints head coach Sean Payton hadn't talked since the trade nearly a decade ago. However, Graham also said he'd love to reconnect with Payton, who just finished his first season at the helm of the Denver Broncos.
“Yeah, I mean, he created me on the field, man,” Graham continued. “We shared a lot of wins and a lot of moments. I’m always here, and I’m always open to it. He had a big influence on my life and my career. There’s no reason I would never (not reconnect).”
Shortly after his interview with McAfee, Graham was arrested in Costa Mesa, Calif., after having what the team described as a medical episode two days before the Saints' preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Aug. 20.
Graham returned to New Orleans for the team's final preseason game against the Houston Texans and scored his first touchdown for the Saints since the 2014 season.
He was not charged for the incident in California.
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