PHILADELPHIA — Many thought the Eagles were crazy to bring franchise legend Brandon Graham out of retirement in October.

The Eagles needed a pass rusher after Za’Darius Smith abruptly retired before Week 7 and Graham was a familiar face. But having torn his triceps twice during the 2024 season and being 37 years old, some people believed Graham was washed up.

Now, that belief looks silly.

In the last two games, Graham has played at defensive tackle to make up for the loss of Jalen Carter, who is considered week-to-week with injuries to both shoulders. The 16th-year veteran has thrived in that role, especially on Sunday, when he recorded two sacks in the Eagles’ 31-0 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders at Lincoln Financial Field — the team’s first shutout since 2018.

Philadelphia’s defensive line, led by Graham, finished with four sacks on Raiders quarterback Kenny Pickett, who played with the Eagles last year. The defense held the Raiders to 75 yards, the fewest allowed in a single game by the Eagles since 1955.

“It just felt good,” Graham told reporters after the game. “And I was like, ‘Dang, Kenny, I’m sorry, but brother, you’re in the way.’

“But it was cool, though. It was just cool to be able to go out there and talk some stuff and have some fun and, of course, man, making plays. Because it’s been a while. Definitely been a while. Been here for like five weeks now and feel like [my] training camp is over now. I just feel like myself now.”

Graham recorded his first sack late in the first quarter.

As the pocket collapsed, Pickett stepped up, but Graham beat Raiders rookie guard Caleb Rogers and knocked the quarterback down for an eight-yard loss on third-and-8.

Graham’s second sack came in the second quarter, this time bull rushing Rogers back into Pickett for a loss of seven on third-and-5. With that sack, Graham became the oldest player since Hall of Fame defensive end Bruce Smith in 2002 to record multiple sacks in the first half of a game. He was awarded the game ball by Eagles coach Nick Sirianni.

“He’s been awesome coming to work every single day, doing all the things that he does and brings to the team,” Sirianni said. “It was great to see him go out there and have the statistical performance that he had today.”

If the Eagles go on a deep playoff run this season, their defense will be the reason. Graham’s ability to rush from the interior and the edge could make an already good defensive line more dominant.

“I’m just happy right now because of the type of team that we got, and I’m happy to be able to come back because I feel like we can make another run,” Graham said.

In his first four appearances this season, Graham played 32 defensive snaps and recorded one tackle. His snap total increased to 30 during the team’s 22-19 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Chargers last week. Then, against the Raiders, he finished with his first multi-sack game since the 2022 season. He looked like the younger version of himself that made a Pro Bowl in 2020 and an All-Pro team in 2016.

“Brandon Graham anywhere is a force to be reckoned with, man,” Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis said. “He has that old man strength. I always say you can teach an old dog new tricks. I’ve seen it with BG so it’s just great to see him go out there and ball out. We can claim those [sacks] because he’s actually a D-tackle right now, so we can claim those sacks as a D-tackle group. So I love it.”

At 6-2 and 265 pounds, Graham is heavier and stronger than most defensive ends, making him one of the NFL’s best run stoppers off the edge for most of his career.

He’s also quicker than most interior offensive linemen, making him a nightmare to block in pass protection.

“Selfishly, I do,” Davis said when asked if he wants Graham to continue playing defensive tackle. “He’s amazing in the room. He’s another bright, fun guy in the room, and we love it. But I know he has other duties to fulfill as a D-end, but he’s a tweener. So hopefully we get to do a little custody split.”

Graham made the biggest play in the Eagles’ first Super Bowl victory in 2018 and helped the Eagles win another Super Bowl last year. He also has the third-most sacks in franchise history (78 1/2).

So what he’s doing now will only add to his legacy.

“(His story is) inspirational for me because you’re never too old, you’re never too old…,” Davis said. “It’s all about a mindset. BG just comes into work. You guys know that. Y’all been here for years. Y’all seen it. And I just love that for him because he’s just getting that juice and flow back.

“BG, he never lost a step. … He’s coming out here, he’s being a dominant force. … It’s like, he’s not supposed to be here, but he’s doing it. That’s selfless, and we couldn’t ask for more.”