Eagles' Brandon Graham injured vs. 49ers, is done for the season; Brandon Brooks also hurt
PHILADELPHIA – Two key veteran Eagles players suffered injuries in the first half Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers when right guard Brandon Brooks and defensive end Brandon Graham left the game.
The Eagles announced Graham's injury as an ankle injury early in the second half.
In a tweet after the game, Graham confirmed that he's out for the season.
He wrote: "We still about to shock the world! I will just be leading from the sidelines this year working to be great for 2022. Appreciate all the love and now it is time for guys to step it up. U have to find the treasure in every situation! #eagles."
Brooks' injury could potentially be season-ending as well, or at least multiple weeks. He left in the second quarter with a chest injury. But if it's a torn pectoral muscle, that could be much worse.
"We're fearful of what it might be," Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said about Graham's injury after the Eagles' 17-11 loss to the 49ers.
Sirianni said he was still "getting more information" on Brooks' injury, but that didn't sound promising, either.
Rookie Landon Dickerson replaced Brooks.
Graham, who's 33 and in his 12th season, suffered the injury in the final two minutes of the first half. He went down and stayed on the turf for a few minutes as trainers quickly surrounded him.
He couldn't put any weight on his left leg and was helped off the field into a cart.
"It was a pretty emotional moment for me to see BG limp off the field," defensive tackle Fletcher Cox said. "Me and Brandon have played so much ball together, and to see him walk off the field was pretty rough for me."
Graham was coming off a Pro Bowl season in 2020, the first time in his career that he was selected.
Brooks, a three-time Pro Bowl player, continues to struggle with injuries. He missed all of 2020 after tearing his Achilles for the second time. He also missed two weeks this summer with a hamstring injury, and had been limited in practice in each of the first two weeks of the season with a knee injury.
Right tackle Lane Johnson said Brooks is "the heartbeat of this team."
“You can’t replace those type of players," Johnson said about Brooks and Graham. "Younger guys have to step up, and we have to press on. It’s terrible because Brooks is one of my best friends, he’s been the best guard in the league for a long time, and he was doing well so far this season.
"Not having him out there is a tremendous loss for us."
The Eagles have Josh Sweat, Ryan Kerrigan and Derek Barnett at defensive end. In addition, rookie Milton Williams can play both defensive end and tackle.
Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Eagles' Brandon Graham injured, out for season; Brandon Brooks hurt
