Jimmy Graham sounds like a man who is retired and thinking about what will happen in his life after football.
Longtime NFL tight end Katherine Terrell told ESPN’s Katherine Terrell “he’s not sure yet” if he’s officially retired after posting a thank-you video to the New Orleans Saints on Instagram in March had posted. The 37-year-old Graham played six of his 13 seasons with the franchise, including 2023, which sounds like his last.
“I have no expectations,” Graham said, adding that if he plays again, it will only be with the Saints. “I just want to make sure that when I retire, it’s like a saint, and it’s when they want me to. I’ll just make sure I call them and see exactly when they want me to retire go, and then I’ll end up doing it.
A five-time Pro Bowler and first-team All-Pro in 2013, Graham recorded two seasons of over 1,000 yards and led the NFL in receiving touchdowns in 2013 with 16.
After sitting out the 2022 season, Graham returned to New Orleans last season on a one-year deal. He played in 13 matches and scored four times.
Graham has already found a pursuit in this uncertainty between playing and retirement. He is currently training to take part in the Arctic Challenge, a 1,000 kilometer journey across the Arctic Ocean with three other team members in the hope of setting a Guinness World Record.
The current record is 15 days, 5 hours and 32 minutes and dates back to 2023.
Graham and his team will be adrift for a period of 10 to 21 days in July 2025. Team members sleep for 90 minutes at a time and row in two-hour intervals.
Former US Navy Seal Andrew Tropp, USRowing’s 2021 Female Coastal Athlete of the Year Hannah Huppi and 2021 bronze medalist in rowing John Huppi will join Graham on the trip. The former tight end is the “lead navigator” of the challenge.
It starts in Tromsø, Norway and ends in Longyearbyen, Norway. The group will use a 9.6 meter long ship with two cabins and made of carbon fiber. They are expected to experience 24 hours of daylight.
One reason Graham is doing this is to help with three nonprofits that support underprivileged youth: Covenant House, the Jimmy Graham Foundation and Laureus Sport for Good USA.
“It is very meaningful for me to use this challenge to inspire young people. As someone who has experienced homelessness, I recognize the importance of not letting your circumstances dictate your future,” Graham said on the Arctic Challenge website. “Through this challenge we will demonstrate the power of determination, teamwork and resilience, and I am excited to use it as a platform to empower children to pursue their wildest dreams.”
This kind of adventure is not unusual for Graham. He holds 10 different aviation licenses and is an avid cyclist.
While football may be a thing of the past, Graham is already making plans for his future, as he told Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan on his podcast in January.
“It really gives me something to look forward to and something to push myself in a new direction athletically,” Graham said. “And I don’t have to take any more hits. I can just sit there and just get to work.”
