Jimmy Graham is one National Football League (NFL) star who had it rough in life while growing up but never let his challenges deter his future. Currently, he plays for the Green Bay Packers after he was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft with the 95th overall pick. Apart from his sad story which has been written and rewritten by so many authors, there are other interesting facts about the Packers tight end. Below are all the details there is to know.
Who is Jimmy Graham and How Old is He?
Jimmy was born on November 24, 1986, in Goldsboro, North Carolina. He was abused as a child and was initially raised by his mom and a couple of his relatives before he was sent off to a group home. He recorded so many bad experiences while in the home, took solace in attending Christian small gatherings wearing tattered clothes and looking hungry. Later on, he found favor in the sight of a young lady named Becky Vinson who took him up for adoption.
As of the time Becky adopted Jimmy, she was pretty in a poor state and basically did a lot of menial jobs in order to survive. She first saw Jimmy at a church gathering where he came to eat free food, she took interest in the lad and took him in. Records have it that it was quite difficult for the duo to build their relationship but today Jimmy never speaks of his biological mom but gives all praises to his adopted mother.
Jimmy Graham is of a mixed ethnicity, his biological mom is said to have been of Caucasian descent while his dad is an African-American.
For his education, he went to Community Christain School before enrolling at Charis Prep located in North Carolina. He was not an intelligent student but with the help of his adoptive mom, he improved in his grades and later schooled at the University of Maimi on scholarship. Jimmy graduated with a double major in marketing and management from the school. After graduation, he stayed back and took extra graduate classes while still playing for the school team.
Jimmy played actively in the University of Maimi football team. Through his days in college, he played in 13 games and recorded 17 receptions for 213 yards in addition to 5 touchdowns. In his time with the school team, he was known for his strong muscles and great athletic build playing as a tight end.
With this kind of performance and qualifications, in no little time, he drew the attention of the National Football League and by 2010, he was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the third round of that year’s NFL Draft with the 95th overall pick. Subsequently, he inked his contract – a four-year contract worth $2.445 million with the team.
The following year, Jimmy Graham appeared in his first Pro Bowl. With this, he moved excellently through the seasons, recording wins and a couple of losses with his team. During the game against the Carolina Panthers that season, Jimmy beat Kellen Winslow’s NFL record of 1,290 receiving yards by a tight end and was named to the Pro Bowl for the season. He led the team in the NFL and also set a single-season record for a receiver with 99 receptions. He was later rewarded with the team’s Ed Block Courage Award that same
On March 10, 2015, Jimmy Graham was sold to the Seattle Seahawks where he played with high spirit and set a franchise record for most receptions, receiving touchdowns and yard in three seasons. By March 16, 2018, he sealed a three-year contract with the Green Bay Packers. There is no doubt that he will do even greater exploits in his new team.
Salary
Jimmy’s three-year contract with the Packers is worth $30 million including a signing bonus of $11 million and $11 million as guaranteed. His average annual salary is said to be $10 million. Extrapolating from this, in 2018, the tight end will earn a base salary of $1,450,000, a signing bonus of $11 million, a roster bonus of $300,00, a workout bonus of $250,00 and $250,000 incentives. He currently runs on a cap hit of $5,916,66 and a dead cap value of $12,700,000.
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Girlfriend or Wife
Most of Jimmy’s fans have been wondering who is the ”bae” behind this successful professional athlete. Well, facts about the tight end’s personal affairs have been kept in shades. He has kept most of his relationships off the spotlight. From what we gathered, there haven’t been any single lady or guy that have been linked to the tight end. Records have it that he has decided to pour his love towards his adoptive mom. To the best of our knowledge, he is currently single.
Height and Weight
History has never recorded any tight end who is below 6 feet 2 inches because having a good height is one of the prerequisites for the position. For Jimmy Graham, he is quite a tall dude and has a gigantic body build.
We give kudos to his height which has played so well in his tactics while blocking a ball and in his catches. He stands at 6 feet 7 inches and weighs 120kg.
