Jimmy Graham, the three-time Pro Bowl tight end the Seahawks acquired in a March trade with the Saints, became well-known during his time in New Orleans for his since-outlawed field goal post slam dunks of the football following every touchdown he scored.
But browse Graham's Instagram account (@thejimmygraham) and you'll notice the 6-foot-7, 265-pound former University of Miami basketball player has an affinity for a completely different type of aerial acrobatics.
Graham, a certified pilot, has been obsessed with stunt planes since his sophomore year of college when a friend took him for a spin. He earned a private pilot's license in 2012 and now owns a small fleet of single-engine airplanes.
With his NFL career now nestled near an abundance of water in the Pacific Northwest - Seattle's training center sits on the shores of Lake Washington, Graham wasted little time getting seaplane-certified after signing with the Seahawks.
"The state of Washington is gorgeous, it really is," Graham said after Tuesday's OTA of his birdlike adventures around the Seattle-area so far. "I got my seaplane license in a 'Beaver' from like 1950-something, which is pretty neat, flying around the Olympics. This weekend I think I'm going to go flying with [former Seahawks owner] Mr. Nordstrom out there in the Vancouver Island, so that's going to be exciting."
Fans might see Graham's inkling for adrenaline and be quick to express concern for the safety of his NFL career. But the 28-year-old tight end stressed the Saints and Seahawks have held little reservation against his lofty endeavors.
"Well no, not really," said Graham. "I always tell them that, number one, I love my life, so I'm not going to do anything to put that in jeopardy. I love where my life is right now, so I'm not going to change or do anything stupid I shouldn't be doing.
"I've been trained by the best and I always make sure that I keep up on all my certifications so that I'm as safe as possible in everything that I do. Most of the time when I'm flying I'm actually wearing a parachute anyways," Graham added with a smile. "So I'll find my way to the ground somehow."
You can check out a small sample of Graham's aerobatics in the 2012 YouTube video featured above, a clip coincidentally set to The Verve's *Bittersweet Symphony* - the same song that plays at CenturyLink Field before the Seahawks take off out of the tunnel.
