Getty Jimmy Graham of the Chicago Bears celebrates after scoring a touchdown.
Jimmy Graham is a man of many talents.
Not only does the Chicago Bears All-Pro tight end specialize in dominating the red zone (he led the team in touchdowns last year with eight), off the field, the 12-year veteran is a certified pilot, and this past summer, he got to participate in a pretty spectacular aviation adventure.
Hosted by USAA, an Official NFL Salute to Service Partner as part of their “Salute to Service” initiative, Graham had the chance to skydive with the best of the best when he visited the United States Army Golden Knights at their headquarters in North Carolina.
In an incredible video, you can watch the five-time Pro Bowl TE jump out of a plane three times in what can only be described as a scene straight out of the 1991 film “Point Break.”
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Graham Has Always Loved Aviation
“When I was younger, I always thought I’d be a pilot,” Graham said in the 10-minute video. “I grew up on military bases my entire childhood. I would always hear the big jets going by, or the helicopters, and always, always wish that that was me.”
Thus, getting the opportunity to fly and jump with a team like the Golden Knights was deeply significant to Graham.
“The Army parachute team was formed in 1959 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina,” SFC Blake Gaynor said about the Golden Knights. “In 1961, they were designated the army’s official aerial demonstration team and one year later, they adopted their name, the Golden Knights. They went and competed on the world stage, won, that’s why the name is Golden, signifying our success in those competitions. Knights (represents) defenders of the sky.”
Graham had 58 jumps heading into his skydiving session with the Golden Knights, so he was familiar with the act of jumping out of planes — but this experience in particular was special.
Graham Sees Commonalities Between the Military & Football
“I’ve never jumped with a military team before,” Graham said just before take off. “I’m excited for it, I’m excited for the challenge. More than anything, I’m excited for the camaraderie.”
The veteran tight end then explained why for him, the experience felt a lot like playing football.
“Jumping with the Golden Knights today reminds me of my first game in the National Football League,” Graham added. “Just like on the field, you basically have to focus on the moment, because there’s a lot on the line.”
Graham also noted that skydiving has been a fun and challenging activity for him during the offseason.
“There’s not many things more satisfying than going one-on-one versus somebody, running him over and scoring a touchdown,” Graham said. “For me, it’s been very hard to find a filler for that, you know, especially in the offseason. But when it comes to skydiving, that is all of that. … The feeling when you jump out of a plane is indescribable. It becomes this beautiful ballet. It’s fun, it’s aggressive, it’s fast and you’re basically riding on this magic carpet.”
Released as part of Whistle Sports “I Can Do That” series, you can watch the video of Graham taking three separate and increasingly challenging jumps below, courtesy of Whistle Sports/USAA: