Daniel Graham life and biography

• A ninth-year tight end who enters his fourth year with the Broncos in 2010 after spending his first five seasons in New England, where he helped the Patriots to victories in Super Bowl XXXVIII (2003 season) and Super Bowl XXXIX (2004 season) and was named to the club’s 2000s All-Decade Team.
• Participated in 78 wins for his NFL career that rank third among league tight ends since his rookie year in 2002.
• Joins Alge Crumpler, Tony Gonzalez and Todd Heap as one of four tight ends in the NFL to catch at least one touchdown pass every year since 2002.
• Owns 11 games of playoff experience (6 starts), including three AFC Championship Games and two Super Bowls.
• Started 45-of-47 games played as a captain for the Broncos from 2007-09, totaling 84 catches for 924 yards (11.0 avg.) with seven touchdowns while blocking for an offense that ranked fourth in the NFL (1st in AFC) in yards per rush (4.5) during that period.
• Established himself as one of the NFL’s best blocking tight ends as part of a New England offense that ranked fifth in the league in rushing touchdowns (51) from 2004-06.
• Helped the Patriots capture the AFC East title for the fourth consecutive season in 2006 with 21 receptions for 235 yards (11.2 avg.) and two touchdowns as an 11-game starter.
• Set a career high with seven touchdown receptions for New England in 2004 that tied for the second most among NFL tight ends that season.
• Received consensus first-team All-America honors and was named the John Mackey Award winner (nation’s best tight end) as a senior at the University of Colorado.
• Became the second member of his family to play for the Broncos, joining his father, Tom, who played linebacker for Denver from 1972-74.
• Joined the Broncos as an unrestricted free agent on March 9, 2007.
• Selected by New England in the first round (21st overall) of the 2002 NFL Draft.

CAREER TRANSACTIONS:
Signed by New England as a draft choice 7/23/02; Placed on injured reserve by New England 12/24/02; Signed by Denver as an unrestricted free agent 3/9/07.

QUICKLY: Graham, who is in his ninth NFL season (fourth with Denver), is one of just three tight ends (Tony Gonzalez/Todd Heap) to post at least one touchdown reception in each of the last eight seasons… Began his career with New England, where he helped the Patriots to victories in Super Bowl XXXVIII (2003) and Super Bowl XXXIX (2004) and was named to the club’s all-decade team… His 78 career wins rank fourth among league tight ends since his rookie year in 2002… Graham returns to his captain role with the club in 2010.

2010: Graham began the season opener at Jacksonville (9/12) with a 28-yard reception on the game’s first play from scrimmage from QB Kyle Orton... Recovered RB Laurence Maroney's fumble late in the fourth quarter to sustain Denver's drive that ended in K Matt Prater's 36-yard field goal at Tennessee (10/3).

2009: Graham, who served as a team captain, played all 16 games (14 starts) for the Broncos for the second consecutive year, totaling 28 receptions for 289 yards (10.3 avg.) with one touchdown... Added one special-teams stop at Oak. (9/27)... Hauled in a touchdown at K.C. (12/6)... Recorded his 200th career reception at Phi. (12/27)... Posted at least one catch in 14 games, including five contests with at least three catches... Registered a season-high four receptions in the season finale vs. K.C. (1/3).

2008: Graham, who served as a team captain, started all 16 games for the first time in his career and caught 32 passes for 389 yards (12.2 avg.) with four touchdowns for the Broncos... Ranked fifth among AFC tight ends with four receiving touchdowns that were his highest season total in four years... Blocked for a Denver offense that ranked third in the league in yards per rush (4.8) despite placing seven running backs on injured reserve.

2007: Graham started all 15 games played during his first season with the Broncos, totaling 24 receptions for 246 yards (10.3 avg.) with two touchdowns... Blocked for a Denver offense that ranked fifth in the NFL in yards per rush (4.6) and ninth in rushing yards (122.3 ypg.)... Inactive (ankle) for the season finale vs. Min. (12/30).

2006: Graham served as an offensive captain for New England and played 12 games (11 starts), recording 21 catches for 235 yards (11.2 avg.) with two touchdowns... Added four catches for 64 yards (16.0 avg.) with one touchdown in three postseason games (2 starts).

2005: Graham played 11 games (9 starts) for New England and had 16 receptions for 235 yards (14.7 avg.) with three touchdowns... Saw time in both postseason games (1 start), posting one catch for 18 yards... Had a career-best 119 receiving yards on five catches (23.8 avg.) with a 45-yard touchdown at Atl. (10/9).

2004: Graham tied for the Patriots’ lead with a career-high seven touchdown catches while placing fourth on the club with 30 receptions for 364 yards (12.1 avg.) in 14 games (14 starts)... Tied for second among NFL tight ends in touchdown receptions... Played in all three postseason games (2 starts), finishing the playoffs with three catches for 16 yards for the Super Bowl XXXIX-champion Patriots... Caught at least one pass in the Patriots’ first six games, compiling 18 catches for 180 yards with five touchdowns during that stretch.

2003: Graham played 14 games (9 starts) and had a career-high 38 catches for a personal-best 409 yards (10.8 avg.) while tying for second on the Patriots with four touchdowns... Also played in the team’s three postseason games, including a start in Super Bowl XXXVIII vs. Car. (2/1), and finished the playoffs with five catches for 45 yards.

2002: Selected by New England in the first round (21st overall) of the 2002 NFL Draft, Graham played 12 games (6 starts) as a rookie, totaling 15 receptions for 150 yards (10.0 avg.) with one touchdown... Earned Pepsi Rookie of the Week accolades for his performance at Buf. (11/3) when he made three catches for 68 yards... Placed on injured reserve on Dec. 24.

COLLEGE:
Graham received the John Mackey Award (nation’s top tight end) and became the University of Colorado’s 25th consensus first-team All-America selection as a senior in 2001 after leading all tight ends in the nation with 753 receiving yards and six touchdowns... Ranked second among tight ends in the nation with 51 receptions as a senior while also receiving first-team All-Big 12 Conference honors that year... Finished his career at Colorado with 106 receptions for 1,543 yards (14.6 avg.) with 11 touchdowns.

PERSONAL:
Graham was a PrepStar All-American and was chosen as a SuperPrep All-Midlands team member at Thomas Jefferson High School in Denver... Earned the Randy Brewer Award, given annually by the school to its most inspirational player in honor of the school’s late coach, as a senior... Made 33 catches for 741 yards (22.5 avg.) with six touchdowns as a senior while collecting 29 tackles (15 solo) with 12 sacks in seven starts at outside linebacker... Graham’s father, Tom, played collegiately at Oregon (where he finished his career as the school’s all-time leading tackler) and professionally for the Broncos (1972-74) as a linebacker... Father saw time in 33 games (23 starts) during three seasons with the Broncos... Daniel’s twin brother, Josh, played football at North Carolina and his older brother, Phillip, played defensive back at Colorado State in the late 1980s... Lettered three times in basketball in high school, averaging 17 points and 10 rebounds in six games as a senior... Owned a 3.2 grade point average in high school and received the Junior Class Academic Award (highest GPA of all juniors)... Named to the Patriots’ All-Decade Team for the 2000s... Majored in ethnic studies at Colorado... Daniel Graham was born on Nov. 16, 1978, in Torrance, Calif.

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