Simply having fun has allowed defensive end Brandon Graham to put together a streak almost as impressive as his 14-year run with the Eagles.
The Brandon Graham Show on SportsRadio 94WIP has been going strong for seven consecutive years.
"Something I already do is talk a lot and have fun," Graham said. "It fits my personality, and that's why I have been doing it for so long."
"The Star of the Show" is how Graham is introduced on his weekly, hour-long radio show at Chickie's and Pete's in South Philadelphia, the Official Sports Bar of the Eagles. Graham's show takes place tonight from 6-7 PM, typically airing the day after the game.
No matter the result, Graham always shows up with the same bubbly personality that he has displayed since being drafted in 2010.
"There have been a lot of ups and downs," Graham said. "Fans want you to win certain games or want different things to happen, but it doesn't always happen the way we want it to. You just have to have fun with it and enjoy the time with the fans."
Graham is always enjoying his time with the fans.
During commercial breaks, he signs autographs, takes photos, and has conversations with those who attend the live show. Listeners also have the chance to call into the show to ask Graham questions.
After his show on Tuesday, December 19, Graham hustled over to Lincoln Financial Field where he participated in the Eagles Kids Club mock press conference.
His experience with reporters and his work in the media allowed him to answer hard-hitting questions from a variety of Kids Club members.
Graham has received advice and mentorship from former Eagles Hugh Douglas and Ike Reese as he continues to venture into sports talk radio.
Douglas and Reese are hosts and personalities on WIP who experienced the same journey that Graham is on now.
"They taught me a lot because of how they go about their business," Graham said.
"Working in radio is like a marriage," Reese said. "Being on that side of the microphone and talking to these people on a daily basis; it's a relationship. The more this fan base embraces you, the more you feel a part of the fabric here."
Reese, who was a communications major at Michigan State, fell in love with sports talk radio in Philadelphia.
Since starting his career at WIP in 2008, Reese knows what it takes to make it in this industry and in this city, something that he believes Graham is built for. His afternoon drive-time show has been a fan-favorite in Philadelphia, always ranking as a Top 2 show in the city's Nielsen ratings.
"He is a natural," Reese said. "He knows how to have fun and knows how to laugh at himself. You don't spend 13 years in this city without them appreciating you. That is a great thing about the relationship that Brandon has with the fan base that will always be there for him. I believe he has the ability to do this at a high level."
Graham's love for the media industry started early in his career with the Eagles as far back as 2015. Following this season, Graham plans on attending the NFL's Media and Broadcasting Workshop in Los Angeles, something that his teammate Jason Kelce did last summer.
The program allows current and former players to learn the necessary skills to become a broadcaster or analyst in the NFL.
While the wily veteran does not know when he will step away from the game he loves, he knows he has opened countless doors for his life after football. He already has offers to work in the media once he decides to retire.
"I am exhausting everything right now," Graham said. "I am trying to see where it all leads and just have fun while I am doing it."
