It has taken some time, but Davis is rounding into form in Philadelphia. If that story sounds familiar to Eagles fans, it’s because it is. Brandon Graham, also drafted No. 13 overall but 12 years before Davis, had a slow start to his career.
He only played 16 games across his first two seasons and had three total sacks. Now, Graham is an Eagles legend and watching closely as Davis takes a leap.
“He’s gonna be way better than me,” Graham said. “It was tough in the beginning, for sure, the first couple years. But I feel like with anything, you give them time, they find their stride, and that’s what he’s doing right now. He found his stride, and he found his way that he’s leading in the way that he’s just being himself and just going out there and building his confidence every game.
“He ain’t even hit all the way there yet. He still got a whole bunch more, and that’s why I’m excited for him because I really feel like he knows that people don’t wanna see him [on the field]. Now I’m just trying to make sure he remains humble like he’s doing and making sure that he’s continuously working one day at a time, and taking his rest when he’s supposed to, and making sure he’s enjoying it.”
Graham has a one-of-one perspective on playing in Philadelphia. No player has played more seasons or games for the Birds than Graham, but there was a point early in his career when he was on the brink of getting waived.
He rebounded, earned the respect of the city, and went on to make the biggest defensive play in Eagles history, strip-sacking Tom Brady to help secure Philadelphia’s first-ever Super Bowl victory.
So when he saw what Davis was going through early in his career, he knew that didn’t have to be the end of his story.
“I just told him, ‘Man, it’s gonna come. Just make sure that you’re learning as you’re in this hard part of your life,'” Graham said. “It really ain’t that bad, it’s only as bad as we make it in our head. I felt like, for him, he’s just conquered that part. He already had the tools. It was just more about just conquering that person that’s telling you, ‘But what if? But what if I can’t?’ Those doubts that pop in your head, you gotta try to minimize them, and I think he’s done that with just his work ethic and what he’s been doing.”
