**Pro Bowl Tight End Jimmy Graham Contemplates Retirement Decision with Saints**
Darren Waller, a one-time Pro Bowl tight end, retired on Sunday, while Marcedes Lewis, another one-time Pro Bowl tight end, is set to return to the Chicago Bears for his 19th NFL season.
Five-time Pro Bowl tight end Jimmy Graham has yet to decide whether to retire like Waller or return for his 14th season. His decision appears to hinge on the New Orleans Saints’ interest in having him back.
“I’m going to contact the Saints to determine the best course of action and then decide when it’s best for me to retire,” Graham told ESPN’s Katherine Terrell. “I have no expectations. I just want to retire as a Saint, whenever they want me to. I’ll call them to see when they want me to retire, and then I’ll do it.”
According to Terrell, the 37-year-old Graham is currently training to row 1,000 kilometers across the Arctic Ocean next summer in an attempt to set a world record. He will be part of a four-person team aiming to break the existing record of 15 days, five hours, and 32 minutes.
This extreme physical challenge is not new for Graham, a University of Miami product, and he has no plans to slow down. Terrell noted that Graham intends to participate in several long-distance bike rides over the next year, including a race with former NFL tight end Luke Willson at the end of June.
During a May appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Graham recounted a frightening cycling accident in which he was hit by a car while riding his bike in Miami. Former teammate A.J. Hawk had revealed the incident the previous day. Graham estimated he was traveling at about 20 mph, while the driver was going 20-25 mph. He sustained a leg wound and lost all the skin on his back.
In March 2021, Graham was also involved in a rollover car accident in Miami but escaped injury.
Graham, who has also worked as a commercial pilot and lived on a sailboat, has earned 10 different licenses over his NFL career.
After sitting out the 2022 season and declining offers from multiple teams last offseason, Graham signed a one-year deal with the Saints in July for a second stint with the team. He spent the first five years of his career with New Orleans, earning his first three Pro Bowl honors, and also played for the Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, and Chicago Bears.
Last season, Graham recorded career lows in targets (seven), receptions (six), and receiving yards (39) but maintained his scoring ability with four touchdown catches. He ranks fourth among tight ends and 16th overall with 89 career receiving touchdowns.
When asked about the possibility of balancing NFL play and training for the ocean rowing challenge, Graham expressed optimism, stating, “I believe anything is possible.”
“I’m definitely enjoying how my body feels right now, especially my joints,” he said, according to Terrell.
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