Brandon Graham is back in midnight green. The longtime defensive end has come out of retirement to rejoin the Philadelphia Eagles for the 2025 NFL season for a 16th year in the league. He retired in March after a Super Bowl win, but decided to return after Za’Darius Smith’s sudden retirement and injuries hit the Eagles’ pass rush. His comeback has fans buzzing, and one former Steelers linebacker has something to say about it.

“Brandon Graham, he back. People be like, Man, you could come back. I’m like no,” James Harrison said playfully on the Deebo and Joe podcast. “If I had to all-out sprint, I’d be tearing something off the bone.” The legendary Steelers linebacker still has a thriving sense of humor and respect for the game. But physically? That sprinting line makes it clear his comeback days are probably behind him.

Fans remember him as one of the toughest and most dominant defenders of his era. A five-time Pro Bowler, two-time First-Team All-Pro, and NFL Defensive Player of the year, Harrison left a legacy behind when he retired in 2018.

He’s best known as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ all-time sack leader with 84.5 career sacks, playing a huge role in helping the team win two Super Bowls (XL, XLIII). He also had short stints with the Cincinnati Bengals and the New England Patriots, finishing his career in Super Bowl LII with the Patriots.

Over his career, he totaled 793 tackles, 84.5 sacks, and 8 interceptions. These numbers are reason enough to cement his place among the NFL’s all-time greats. Certainly, if he returns, the 47-year-old will be a great addition to the struggling Steelers’ secondary.

Harrison calls out Mike Tomlin’s defense after Sunday’s defeat

After Pittsburgh lost to Green Bay on Sunday, it raised many eyebrows about the secondary. The defense ended up sparring 454 yards and not forcing a single turnover for the third straight week. This led to the former defensive end voicing his frustration on his podcast.

“Things have to change. People got to go. Being one of the highest-paid teams and ranking 30th just doesn’t add up. I’m not sure what exactly needs to happen, but it’s time to shake things up and get something new going. Offensively, we also need another reliable option besides DK, a true number two to balance things out,” he said.

In fact, these comments shed light on a problem the team has faced since the beginning of the season.

Pittsburgh currently ranks 32nd in the league against the pass, giving up an average of 273.3 passing yards per game. The defense has also allowed at least 30 points and 450 yards in back-to-back games without forcing a single turnover. The team is tied for the second-longest streak of its kind in NFL history.

Overall, the Steelers are allowing 386 total yards per game (30th in the NFL) and 25 points per game (22nd). Surely, the numbers don’t lie, but still, they’re approaching an unwanted milestone. Pittsburgh is on its way to giving up the most yards per game in franchise history and the most points since 1988. The secondary has struggled, and the pass rush hasn’t been able to create consistent pressure.

Fans will be hoping Harrison’s message can spark a turnaround before things start to slip further out of control. In fact, it might not be a bad decision to make a return for the 2 time Super Bowl winner.