Jimmy Graham's signature touchdown dunk is the Saints Play of the Day
Jimmy Graham's signature touchdown dunk is the Saints Play of the Day
We're at Day 80 in our countdown to the New Orleans Saints' 2025 season opener against the Arizona Cardinals, which means one of the signature plays from No. 80's career is an easy choice for the Saints Play of the Day. Go back to 2013 and you'll find this moment from Jimmy Graham stands the test of time.
Facing a 10-7 deficit midway through the second quarter against the division-rival Atlanta Falcons, Graham scored a 44-yard touchdown for the Saints and threw down afterwards with his signature celebration. Or went up, rather. A former college basketball player with the Miami Hurricanes, Graham was known for getting up high and slamming the ball over the goalpost after a big play.
And what goes up must come down. When Graham leapt to dunk the football over the dirty birds' goalpost, he bent the crossbar out of alignment, which led to a delay in play while the field crew hurried to rebalance it. You can see the full sequence for yourself here.
It was a fun moment for Saints fans, and embarrassing for Falcons faithful, but there were some unexpected reactions to this incident. The NFL later outlawed goalpost celebrations like Graham's dunk, making it a 15-yard penalty and $5,600 fine for first-time offenders. For his part, Graham wears it like a badge of honor.
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