Seahawks tight end Jimmy Graham wants to play a long time, so he’s getting himself in better shape.
Graham said on 710 ESPN that he has dropped from 280 pounds to 260, with the idea that it will help him stay in the league for years to come. The 30-year-old Graham said he listened to advice from Tony Gonzalez, who played the tight end position at a Pro Bowl level into his 30s.
“When I was younger, I could carry 270 around and run go routes, and it was no big deal,” Graham said. “Now I’m getting a little bit older. I remember Tony Gonzalez told me, it was his last Pro Bowl, I had the honor of playing with him, and we were talking about weights and lifting and everything. He gave me some good gems. He said, ‘The older you get, you’ve got to shave a little bit of weight. Just for your joints. Just to keep that burst and that bend in your body.’ And he was very, very true.”
Graham said he’s in much better shape than last year, when he spent the whole offseason rehabbing a knee injury. Heading into the final year of his contract, Graham is feeling great.