With one arm, he played 4 seasons in the NFL. Now Shaquille Griffin has hung up his cleats

Shaquem Griffin may not be a name that resonates with most sports and NFL fans.

When you look at his stats over the past few seasons, Griffin has only been a starter once, and he’s mostly served as a reserve on the defensive end. A deep player, adept at applying pressure and exerting energy on his team.

However, what the stats don’t tell you is that Shaquille Griffin was born without a left arm. We told you about it in 2018, when Griffin won the chance to play in the NFL with just one arm. After all, he broke the record in the NCAA and made the Seattle Seahawks roster along with his twin brother Shaquille.

Juggling practice and practice squad until 2020, before being cut by the team and joining the Dolphins player pool. Unfortunately, Griffin never found his niche and, at age 27, wrote a speech announcing his retirement. Players Tribune.

Thanks to the people who helped me achieve this dream, but it’s time to move on from football. @PlayersTribune https://t.co/dzPWRCvpZl

—Shaquem Griffin (@Shaquemgriffin) August 24, 2022

Griffin’s “Plan A”

As he notes in his speech, despite the incredible feat of playing in the NFL with a physical handicap such as the absence of an arm, the big leagues were always a plan for Griffin. Football was his gateway to a university degree. It was also a way to inspire people because of his status.

He never wanted others’ pity or negative attention. He believed that he could achieve his goal through hard work and he succeeded.

After discussions with Roger Goodell, he decided to retire because he would join a group of NFL greats and participate in discussions with various groups to inspire them.

Shaquille Griffin – NFL legend. It’s fine anyway.

A player with only one career quarterback sack, an NFL legend.

We love it and hope to see Shakum in more events as what he has achieved in his career is amazing.

Former UCF All-American linebacker and fifth-round draft pick Shaquem Griffin is Auburn’s football team speaker this week. pic.twitter.com/bIkTUp1SO7

— Nathan King (@NathanKing247) August 10, 2022