Jimmy Graham signs with the Saints and returns to the team nine years after his departure

Jimmy Graham is coming back to the Big Easy.

The tight end has agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Saints, the team announced Tuesday.

Graham began his NFL career with the Saints in 2010 as a third-round pick and almost immediately became one of the best tight ends in the game. He earned his first of five Pro Bowl nominations in 2011, when he had 99 receptions for 1,310 yards and 11 touchdowns. Two seasons later, Graham led the league in receiving touchdowns with 16 and added 1,215 receiving yards to earn first-team All-Pro honors.

However, the following offseason marked the beginning of the end of Graham’s time in New Orleans. When the Saints franchise tagged Graham for the 2014 offseason, a dispute developed between the two parties. Graham believed that he should have been valued as a wide receiver while the team valued him as a tight end.

Although Graham and the Saints reached a contract agreement before the 2014 season, he was traded to the Seahawks that year. He had two Pro Bowl seasons during his three years in Seattle before playing two seasons each with the Packers and Bears.

The 36-year-old last played in the NFL with the Bears in 2021. He had 14 receptions and three touchdowns in 15 games that year.

Both the Saints and Graham had some fun on social media following Tuesday’s announcement. The Saints posted a picture of Graham denting a field goal post during his traditional touchdown celebration.