Jimmy Graham
A college basketball player turned NFL star, he redefined the tight end position with his towering frame and acrobatic catches.
Born 1986 (age 40)·American football player·Birthday: November 24·Millennials
Biography
Jimmy Graham’s path to the NFL was anything but conventional. After playing four years of college basketball at the University of Miami, he used his single remaining year of athletic eligibility to try football. The gamble paid off spectacularly. Drafted by the New Orleans Saints in 2010, his 6'7" frame and basketball-honed agility made him a matchup nightmare for defenders. Under quarterback Drew Brees, Graham became the centerpiece of the Saints' aerial attack, setting franchise records and forcing the league to reconsider how a tight end could be used. His prime years in New Orleans were marked by a string of Pro Bowl selections and a reputation for spectacular, contested touchdowns. Later career stops with Seattle, Green Bay, and Chicago saw his role evolve, but his impact on the position's offensive expectations remained.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Jimmy was born in 1986, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jimmy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1986
#1 Movie
Top Gun
Best Picture
Platoon
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Jimmy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1986Born
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1991Started school
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1999Became a teenager
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2002Could drive
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2004Could vote
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Turned 21
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2016Turned 30
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 40
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Named to the NFL Pro Bowl five times (2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017).
- Led the NFL in receiving touchdowns by a tight end in 2013 with 16.
- Set the New Orleans Saints franchise record for single-season receiving yards by a tight end (1,310 in 2011).
- Recorded over 8,500 receiving yards and 89 touchdowns across his 12-season NFL career.
Did You Know?
He played only one season of college football for the Miami Hurricanes after four years on their basketball team.
He is a licensed pilot and owns a single-engine Cirrus SR22 aircraft.
He famously lived in a dorm room at the University of Miami for a period during his early NFL off-seasons to continue training.
He was a third-round draft pick, the 95th overall selection in the 2010 NFL Draft.
“I play basketball on grass. That’s what I do.”
