The Cleveland Browns have been receiving a ton of praise for the last two draft classes they put together, and the player who kicked off that run is defensive tackle Mason Graham. Selected with the fifth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Graham hasn’t received as much individual praise as his classmates, but that’s not because he’s played poorly.
One reason why is that he’s a defensive tackle, and unless a tackle is playing like Aaron Donald, it’s sometimes hard for fans to notice their impact. Another factor is that people want to see him take his game to another level.
After what Graham said on Wednesday, it seems like that’s about to happen.
Following the Browns’ OTA practice on Wednesday, Graham revealed to the media that he played with a broken rib in the second half of his rookie season. Not only does that show his toughness, but it’s encouraging, as fans can’t help but think how good he’ll be in Year 2 while at full health.
Browns DT Mason Graham confirms he played through a broken rib at the end of his rookie season.
— Nick Pedone (@NickPedone12) May 20, 2026
Cracked it against the San Francisco 49ers and fully broke it early in the game against the Tennessee Titans. pic.twitter.com/Jz8MnzWDLw
Browns’ Mason Graham reveals he played with a broken rib late in rookie season
Graham didn’t miss a game during his rookie season, but he first injured his rib in Week 13 against the San Francisco 49ers. According to the defensive tackle, it was only cracked in that game, but he fully broke it a week later against the Tennessee Titans. Still, he finished the year, playing four more games.
In the six games after first cracking his rib, Graham recorded 22 total tackles, two for a loss, and one quarterback hit, while playing 74.7 percent of the team’s defensive snaps. Those numbers made up a rookie season where he started all 17 games, posting 49 total tackles, seven tackles for a loss, a half-sack, and four batted balls.
The young defender now appears poised to take his game to another level. With a year of experience under his belt, Graham is prepared to take a leap and show everyone why he was a top-five pick.
The Browns' defense is already an elite group, and it’s fair to say improved defensive tackle play contributed to Myles Garrett’s record season. If Mason Graham can stay healthy and develop into an elite defensive tackle — the Browns' defense could be terrifying in 2026.
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