Ben Graham
No headshot available
Career Summary
Ben Graham was an Australian rules football captain who became an NFL punter.
Graham played 99 NFL games for the Jets, Saints, Cardinals and Lions, punting 468 times for 20,661 yards. Before moving to the United States, he was a 200-game player, captain and best-and-fairest winner at Geelong.
Section reviewed
Sources for this section
Path to the NFL
Graham retired from Geelong in 2005 to pursue an NFL punting career with the Jets.
The AFL reported that Graham accepted a New York Jets offer after retiring from Geelong, where he had played 200 games and served as captain.
Section reviewed
Sources for this section
NFL Career
Graham played eight NFL seasons, first with the Jets and later with Arizona and Detroit.
Graham punted for the Jets from 2005 through 2008, then joined Arizona for portions of 2008 through 2011 before finishing with Detroit in 2011 and 2012. His career figures include a 44.1-yard gross average and 162 punts inside the 20.
Section reviewed
Sources for this section
Career Accomplishments
Graham was an accomplished athlete in both Australian rules football and the NFL.
At Geelong, he won the club best-and-fairest in 1999, finished second in 2000 and captained the club from 2000. In the NFL, he reached Super Bowl XLIII with Arizona and set a Cardinals single-season record with 94 punts in 2010.
Section reviewed
Sources for this section
Playing Style
Graham's transition to punting drew on his long and accurate kicking from Australian rules football.
The AFL described Graham as a defender who used long, accurate kicking to advantage. His NFL career reflected that skill with 162 punts downed inside the 20.
Section reviewed
Sources for this section
Legacy
Graham's move from Geelong captain to NFL punter became a notable cross-code sports transition.
When he left Geelong, the AFL described him as a 200-game player, captain, best-and-fairest winner and life member. He built a nine-season NFL career after making that transition.
Section reviewed
Sources for this section
20697, 00-0022954, 1973-11-02, Ben Graham, Ben, Graham
MFT PLAYER RANKINGS
Current player ranking
Compare current players by position using the transparent MFT statistical model.