When new Seahawks tight end Jimmy Graham posted a picture Monday on Twitter of himself wearing a Seahawks uniform for the first time, it was a good reminder of just how unique of a physical specimen the 6-foot-7, 265-pound Graham really is. And when you watch highlights of Graham during his tenure in New Orleans, it is clear he is one of the dominant tight ends in the game.
You might even know Graham as a pilot, or for the compassion he showed in speaking at the White House at the Youth Champions of Change event in May. And Seahawks fans who remember the January 2014 playoff meeting between Seattle and New Orleans definitely know Graham has a fiery side, but until he became a Seahawk, most people around these parts hadn't seen the lighter side of Jimmy Graham.
When Graham met with the media for the first time following OTAs earlier this offseason, he gave plenty of serious answers, but he also demonstrated a playful side that showed there is a sense of humor in Seattle's new touchdown-catching, goalpost-dunking (OK, not anymore), and occasionally trash-talking tight end, who based on Monday's Tweet, has apparently been hitting the weight room in his offseason.
Of course we really got our first glimpse of that sense of humor via Instagram when Seahawks players were working out in Hawaii and Bruce Irvin and Graham—the two central figures in the pregame dustup prior to the aforementioned playoff game—posed for photo with the two being held back from a fake fight.
Graham then continued to show off his comedic chops addressing that topic and many others in his first press conference as a Seahawk.
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"That was a real fight, man," Graham quipped when asked about the picture.
Talking about the trip to Hawaii and the importance of showing his new teammates what kind of person he is, Graham started to say what he was trying prove about himself, but caught himself with a grin, saying, "I can't say that."
Graham turned to sarcasm when asked about his blocking ability, telling a reporter, "I can show you. Listen, man, I'm 270 pounds; I can block anybody I want to."
Graham used playful sarcasm again to answer a question about his mindset in the red zone, saying, "Honestly I'm just bigger than everybody, so it's easy."
Graham's comedic repertoire even included a bit of gallows humor when he was asked about his affinity for flying. Graham noted that he is up to date on all of his certifications and well trained, but then added, "most of the time when I fly I'm wearing a parachute anyway, so I'll find my way to the ground somehow."
The Seahawks acquired Pro Bowl/All-Pro tight end Jimmy Graham in a trade with the New Orleans Saints.