Linebacker Shaquem Griffin announced his retirement Wednesday after three seasons in the NFL. Writing for the Players’ Tribune, Griffin said that he was prepared to move “on to Plan A” and will take a position in the NFL Legends Community.
When Griffin was four years old, he had to have his hand amputated due to a congenital condition known as amniotic band syndrome. After four years at the University of Central Florida, Griffin became one of the biggest stories of the 2018 NFL Draft. The Seattle Seahawks selected him in the fifth round, uniting him with his twin brother, Shaquill Griffin, and making him the first player with one hand to be drafted to the NFL.
In three seasons with the Seahawks, Griffin only made one start but nevertheless had a number of memorable moments on the field. In the 2021 Divisional Round of the playoffs, he sacked Aaron Rodgers and celebrated in the backfield with his brother. It proved to be his final game as an NFL player.
Following his retirement announcement, countless figures in sports took to social media to commend him for his efforts as a professional football player. The Seahawks tweeted that he was “an inspiration,” and many in the Florida sports community were quick to remember his dominant performance in the 2018 Peach Bowl, when the Knights defeated SEC powerhouse Auburn 34-27.
In addition to his contributions on the field, Griffin has also been lauded for his conduct off the field. In Florida and Seattle, Griffin worked with a number of charities, including the Challenged Athletes Foundation, BIPOC Project and Small Steps Project, to bring awareness to causes for underprivileged groups in the United States.
Despite gaining his reputation through his athletic prowess and the staggering obstacles he had to overcome, Griffin repeatedly wrote that football was always “Plan B.” Plan A is to help people, something he has always done and will continue to do in his new role with the NFL Legends Community.
After thanking his parents, coaches, and teammates Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright, Griffin wrote a special message to his brother, who remains on the Seahawks.
“So keep ballin’ out. Keep living that dream. We’ve been told countless times, and it’s still humbling every time I hear it, that there should be a movie about our journey together, and what we’ve been through, together, always inseparable,” Griffin said. “Maybe that day will come sooner than later. But until then, I’m gonna go build something new so I can do what Dad always told us to do: leave the world a better place than when we found it.”
