It’s been quite some time since we checked in with Detroit Lions fans regarding their opinion of general manager Brad Holmes. The last time we polled our audience was almost exactly a year ago, following the team’s 2025 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, those poll results were lost to time (and a migration to a new content management system at SB Nation).
Detroit, MI
Would Detroit’s Brandon Graham come out of retirement for Lions? No, but …
Brandon Graham is enjoying retirement these days after playing 15 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, going out in style with the Eagles’ win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX.
It was Graham’s second Super Bowl championship, with the first coming after the 2017 season, when he strip-sacked Tom Brady, forcing a fumble that helped the Eagles defeat the New England Patriots, 41-33.
Graham, who played at Detroit Crockett and then at Michigan, where he was first-team All-American in 2009, suffered a torn triceps injury, forcing him to miss the postseason before he returned to play 13 snaps at defensive end in the Super Bowl win.
When asked how he felt, and if he still stays in game shape, Graham told The Detroit News on Wednesday: “It’s all healed up good, and I’m fine. I work out every day.”
The Detroit Lions have questions marks on their defensive line, with especially with the injuries to defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike out for the season following an ACL injury, defensive tackle Alim McNeil still rehabbing from an ACL injury, and defensive ends Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport coming back from injuries.
Would Graham, 37, entertain coming out of retirement if the Lions called?
“I’m retired, enoying life in retirement the last five months,” Graham said. “The only team I’d come out of retirement for is the Eagles, the only team I’ve ever played for. I’m loyal.”
But, what if the Lions did call him?
“If they were offering me something crazy,” Graham said. “Sure, it would be cool to play for the hometown team. It’s all about how I’m valued by them. What would be expected of me because I’m more than just a player. I know I can still play, but if it’s worth it because there’s only so long you can bang your body … but, yes I do still have something left in the tank.”
Graham is known for his leadership, immense talent and durability where he played more games (218, including postseason games) and more seasons (15) than any other player in Eagles’ history, and don’t forget the 76½ sacks during the regular season (and 82 in all).
Graham still has his love for Detroit.
“I still stay in touch with my coaches at Crockett, Coach (Rod) Oden’s son Jacob is now playing at Michigan, and my high school math teacher and coach (Gerald) Guerrant’s son, Dakota, is playing for them at Harper Woods. It was great to see Jacob win a state title at Harper Woods, something we never did when I was in high school.
“I went to Michigan’s camp this summer and talked to the recruits and got a chance to talk with Jacob. It was a great experience, trying to tell them all to make the right decisions, surround yourself with the right people with God in the center of it all. That’s what I did because it’s been a day-to-day grind, for sure.”
If the Lions don’t call, Graham will enjoy retirement and his time with his wife Carlyne and their sons, 9-year-old Emerson and 6-year-old Bryson. He said he plans to come home and see his grandparents in the not-so-distant future.
“Right now my title is retired, but I’ve had offers come my way, media stuff,” Graham said. “I’m excited to find out what I love to do next.”
david.goricki@detroitnews.com
4Warn Weather – SATURDAY: Mostly cloudy skies. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. A few storms could be strong with gusty winds and hail. High: 71.
SATURDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy skies, becoming partly cloudy skies late. Low: 45.
SUNDAY (MOTHER’S DAY): Mix of sunshine and clouds, cooler temperatures. High: 61.
SUNDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy skies. Another chilly night. Low: 41.
MONDAY: Mostly sunny skies, remaining chilly. High: 58.
After a beautiful end to the week on Friday with sunshine and a little cloud cover, with warmer temperatures moving into the region as well, some of us are waking up to some patchy dense fog on Saturday morning. Some places south of M-59 are seeing reduced visibilities down to around a mile. If you do run into some patchy dense fog, be sure to use your low beams.
That warming trend continues into the start of the weekend on Saturday, but it also brings a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Another cold front will work through the region by Saturday afternoon and early Saturday evening and that will bring our thunderstorm chance. High temperature is warming into low 70s by Saturday afternoon.
The Storm Prediction Center has placed most of the region under a Marginal Risk (1 out of 5) on our severe weather scale for the start of the weekend. Gusty winds and hail are the primary threats as we work through the start of the weekend, but this will not be a widespread threat for severe thunderstorms.
Behind that cold front for the end of the weekend on Sunday, we will keep a mixture of sunshine and clouds into the forecast. High temperatures running about 10 to 15° cooler to end the weekend. Expect high to warm into the upper 50s to lower 60s by Sunday afternoon.
Drier weather sticks around for the start of next week, before another chance of rain moves into the region by the time we get to Tuesday. The cooler-than-average temperatures will continue into the start of next week as well. Expect high temperatures to remain in the 50s for Monday and Tuesday.
Temperature start to warm up by the middle of next week, and Drier weather moves back in by Wednesday behind another cold front moving into the region. Expect high temperatures into the lower 60s on Wednesday to warm into the upper 60s by the time we get to Thursday. Above average temperatures move back into the region as we look ahead into the end of the week, expect high temperatures back into the lower 70s by the time we get to Friday.
Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.
But as you can see below, Holmes has been an extremely popular figure among Detroit sports fans for pretty much his entire career.
Although, if there was a time when Holmes’ popularity took a hit, it was likely during the 2025 NFL season, when the Lions took their first clear step back since he and Dan Campbell came to town.
Since last year’s data was lost to time, this is a good opportunity to check back in with Lions fans. While Holmes certainly deserves a ton of credit for getting the Lions back to relevancy and helping them produce four consecutive seasons with winning records, there are some serious blemishes on his resumé now. The 2024 NFL Draft class has not lived up to his high standards through two seasons, some of his riskiest picks over the last few years have all failed to pay off, and last year’s roster just wasn’t good enough to withstand the injuries.
But Holmes is also coming off a very crowd-pleasing draft. Detroit addressed their two biggest needs with their first two selections, and there were no crazy head-scratching picks or expensive trade ups. Many have categorized his latest draft as “back to business as usual,” which could have some fans he lost back on his side.
However, that is all up to you. Vote on your thoughts about Holmes’ time in Detroit below, and share your extended thoughts in the comment section at the bottom of the page.
-
New York50 minutes agoMan Dies in Subway Attack; Mamdani Orders Inquiry Into Suspect’s Release From Bellevue
-
Detroit, MI1 hour agoPatchy dense fog turns to stronger thunderstorms for Metro Detroit to start the weekend
-
San Francisco, CA2 hours agoWhere to watch Pittsburgh Pirates vs San Francisco Giants: TV channel, start time, streaming for May 9
-
Dallas, TX2 hours agoFC Dallas vs Real Salt Lake Preview: Lineups, Storylines & What to Watch
-
Miami, FL2 hours agoMiami Area Gets First New Manufactured Home Community in Decades
-
Boston, MA2 hours agoWhat we know about wrong-way driver killed in head-on collision with state trooper in Lynnfield – The Boston Globe
-
Denver, CO2 hours agoA Frontier plane hits a pedestrian during takeoff at Denver airport
-
Seattle, WA2 hours ago
Where to watch Seattle Mariners vs Chicago White Sox: TV channel, start time, streaming for May 9