Have you seen the movie 8 Mile? If yes, then we really don’t have to tell you how rough Detroit used to be. Raising a kid in that area is one of the biggest tasks for a family. You never know what kind of bad things they’ll get into. But that city helped create one of the finest defensive ends in the NFL. You’re right. We are talking about the Eagles’ Brandon Graham—the man who even surpassed David Akers’ franchise record of 188 regular-season games. Graham is sitting at the top with 206 games. I know, right? Even if he’s not the best player on the team, he surely is the most loyal one. It’s not like he ain’t got the records or awards for his shelf. Brandon Graham is literally ranked third on the Eagles’ all-time sacks list with an impressive 76.5 sacks.

If we start talking about his high school and college stats, then we all have to sit here for a long time—because football has been in his life since the age of 7. Brandon didn’t make it this far all alone—obviously, there was the support of his loved ones always pushing him to be the best, and today, we are here to take a little ride down that road.

Who is Brandon Graham’s mother?

When you look at a player like Brandon Graham, you will wonder where he got his patience and willpower. For him, it’s his mother, Tasha Graham. She overcame leukemia at a young age and worked for years at a Chrysler auto plant to support her children. The reason why she got him into football at a young age was to keep him away from the bad environment. “A lot of guys out there are not good for these young men. You know, I had to keep him busy instead of the streets keeping him busy. If you stay out of trouble, which you can, it can’t get you.”

Who is Brandon Graham’s father?

Just like his mother, we don’t have much intel about his dad, Darrick Walton. But we do know that he was one of the main reasons why the NFL got a star player. When Brandon wanted to quit football, his dad was the one to boost him up. “I couldn’t have him quit, so we made him play his first year out and once he got the hang of it, ‘cause he caught on real quick ‘cause he’s an active kid. I knew he was something special then. That first year, I knew he was something special.”

What nationality are Brandon Graham’s parents?

Brandon was born and raised by his parents in Detroit. They are proud Americans. But does it really matter where they’re from? What truly matters is what they did for their son—keeping him on the right path and getting him involved in sports. Apparently, their plan worked out well. From starring at Detroit’s Crocket High School to becoming an All-American at the University of Michigan and then a first-round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, their efforts paid off. Tasha said, “Football turned into something that I really did not expect.”