After three seasons in the NFL, Shaquem Griffin officially announced his retirement Wednesday in The Players Tribune. The former Seahawks and Dolphins linebacker made waves in college football and the NFL as an amputee without a right hand.
In his post, he talks about how playing professional football with his twin brother, Shaquill Griffin, was always his plan B.
“The time has come for me to retire from professional football,” he said in the post. “It’s time for me to execute my Plan A.”
“…I know the positive effect I’m having on others,” Griffin continued. “I’m speaking at colleges and universities, talking to football teams and even presenting to corporate America about never doubting yourself and tirelessly pursuing your dreams. People at companies want to hear what I have to say when actually I’m the one that can learn so much from them. It’s crazy.”
Griffin was a star at UCF and was drafted by the Seahawks in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL draft. Seattle selected his brother the year before and they both played together until 2020. While in Seattle, Shaquem Griffin appeared in 48 games and started one of them when KJ Wright went down with an injury.
Over his three-year career, he tallied 25 tackles and one sack before getting cut in 2020. He went back and forth between the team’s practice squad and active roster and eventually joined the Dolphins but never played in another NFL game.
At the end of his post, he wrote a simple message for his brother as he embarks in the next chapter of his journey at 27 years old.
“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,” he said.
