Then-Seattle Seahawks exterior linebacker Shaquem Griffin indicators autographs earlier than an NFL soccer sport towards the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019, in Seattle. John Froschauer, Related Press
Shaquem Griffin, extensively understood to be the primary one-handed participant in NFL historical past, is hanging up his cleats. He introduced his retirement Wednesday in a private essay for The Gamers’ Tribune.
Within the piece, Griffin, whose twin brother, Shaquill, stays within the league, explains that retiring will give him extra time to do what he’s all the time needed to do: make the world a greater place.
“As children (Shaquill and I) had dreamed of enjoying collectively within the NFL, however each time we talked about it, our dad would remind us that if we made it to the league — particularly if we received to play collectively — that will be an added blessing. A bonus. Plan A was to go to varsity, get an schooling and do one thing that will make a constructive affect on this planet,” Griffin wrote.
He shared that he’ll be becoming a member of an NFL program that helps gamers navigate each on-field and off-field challenges.
“The NFL Legends Group is a program via which retired gamers assist mentor present and former gamers on all the things from the transition into and out of the sport to learn how to navigate psychological well being points. It’s a useful resource to offer steering and assist to gamers in no matter they may be going via or attempting to realize, together with helping with group service initiatives,” Griffin wrote for The Gamers’ Tribune.
Griffin, who was born with an underdeveloped left hand that was ultimately amputated, was drafted within the fifth spherical of the 2018 draft by the Seattle Seahawks, the identical staff that chosen his brother one yr earlier than. The Griffins performed collectively in Seattle for 3 seasons, though Shaquem spent a lot of the third season on the observe squad.
In 2021, Shaquill signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Shaquem struggled to discover a new staff. In his essay, he famous that it by no means felt proper being away from his brother.
“Soccer had already given me a lot, and the one factor I nonetheless actually needed from the sport was to play with my brother once more,” Griffin stated.
He praises Shaquill instantly close to the top of the essay, noting that he would have by no means had the profession he did with out his brother’s assist.
Griffin additionally shared a lot of variety phrases about his former teammates in Seattle, together with Bobby Wagner, who performed in school at Utah State.
“Seattle was the right place for me to learn to (make a constructive affect.) I spent a whole lot of time with Okay.J. Wright, Bobby Wagner and so many different guys simply speaking about learn how to go about reaching folks — learn how to actually make a connection and be purposeful in my messaging,” Griffin stated.
Shifting ahead, Griffin will deal with serving to folks in want, he stated.
“I’m gonna go construct one thing new so I can do what Dad all the time instructed us to do: depart the world a greater place than after we discovered it. On to Plan A,” Griffin wrote.