It took Philadelphia Eagles’ former defensive end Brandon Graham eight years to reach legendary status in Philadelphia lore. It only took Jalen Carter two years to do the same. It might not have been the Super Bowl but it was just as iconic, for the Birds might not have made it to New Orleans last February if big JC hadn’t come up big in the waning moments of the Divisional Round game in the wintry Philadelphia snow against the Rams last January. 
Carter, 24, whose been dealing with a shoulder injury, stepped on the practice field at Nova Care on Monday for the first time this camp. The third year defensive tackle posted 42 tackles, 16 quarterback hits, 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in 16 games last year for the Birds. He added 2.0 sacks, seven QB hits and another forced fumble in four postseason starts for the Super Bowl LIX champions. But the second team All-Pro will be remembered for the one play he made on a 3rd and 2 from the Eagles 13 yard line with just 1:09 remaining and Philly’s season hanging in the balance.
So an argument can be made that the two most iconic plays in Eagles’ history did not come from Nick Foles, Zach Ertz or Saquon Barkley, with apologies to Jalen Hurts, Cooper Dejean and the Slim Reaper. They came from two future Eagles’ Hall of Fame trenchmen, which says something about the philosophy behind the construction of the football team in South Philly. The Eagles don’t just draft pass rushers, they build legacies with them.
A Dynasty in the Building?
When you get right down to it football is a simple game. “Protect your quarterback and affect their quarterback.” If you can do that, you’ve got a pretty good thing going. When Andy Reid was here his philosophy was always about buildng from the inside out. We know all about the best offensive line in the NFL. General Manager Howie Roseman has done a remarkable job putting that beastly crew together. But he also has his finger prints all over one of the top defensive lines in the league as well – and he’s got two ostentacious rings to show for it. Roseman can thank Jalen Carter for authoring the latest chapter in that story.
Flashback alert – with the Rams driving inside the red zone in the final minute of the Divisional Round, down by just six, Carter split the offensive line and swallowed Matthew Stafford for a sack that wound up as the defensive play of the year, due respect to Cooper Dejean, and perhaps the defining moment of the Eagles’ entire Super Bowl run.
It was 3rd and 2 at the Philadelphia 13-yard line with just over a minute to go. One mistake, one missed assignment, and the Rams could’ve been celebrating a go-ahead touchdown.
Instead, Carter, whose freakish strength has drawn comparisons to Aaron Donald, blew past Rams rookie center Beaux Limmer on a stunt-fake, then powered through untouched to drop Stafford for a nine-yard loss. The play pushed the Rams back to the 22-yard line. On the next snap, Carter applied pressure again, forcing an errant fourth-down throw. Ballgame.
A Moment That Echoes Brandon Graham’s in Super Bowl VII
For fans of Eagles lore, the moment drew instant parallels to Brandon Graham’s iconic late-game strip sack of Tom Brady in Super Bowl LII, the defensive exclamation point that helped secure the franchise’s first Lombardi Trophy.
That play has long been hailed as perhaps, the greatest play in Eagles history. But Carter’s might be next in line. Graham’s play won a Super Bowl. Carter’s may have saved the chance to even get there.
The Eagles’ Blueprint: Draft, Attack, and Rotate Relentlessly
This moment didn’t happen by accident. It was the result of a long-standing Eagles philosophy – draft elite pass rushers and keep them fresh with a deep, punishing rotation.
Jalen Carter? First-round pick. Jordan Davis? First-round pick. Hasson Reddick? Free-agent steal and Pro Bowler. Josh Sweat, Nolan Smith, Milton Williams – all part of a rotating assault unit designed to wear down opposing offensive lines and create chaos when it matters most.
That strategy paid off again in Super Bowl 59, where the Eagles sacked Patrick Mahomes six times, a quarterback who usually escapes pressure like a ballast tank on a nuclear submarine. And it was on full display in the final minutes against Stafford, a 15-year veteran who was one read away from breaking hearts in Philadelphia.
Carter’s Sack Was a Statement
What was so brilliant about Carter’s moment was the timing and the skill involved. Carter baited Limmer with a swim move, then exploded inside and up the middle and was on Stafford so fast he didn’t have the time to see that his tight end Tyler Higbee was breaking free on a slant on the play. Had Carter not gotten there, Stafford would’ve had a clean shot at the game-winner and he doesn’t usually miss from there.
Instead, Carter closed the door and quite possibly opened a new one for his own legend in midnight green.
Brandon Graham’s name is etched into Eagles history for what he did to Brady.
Jalen Carter’s sack may be the 2025 version of that moment, not just a game-saver, but a defining play in a championship journey.
And the best part?
He’s just getting started.
