Former Seahawk Shaquem Griffin shares story about overcoming adversity

Former Seattle Seahawk Shaquem Griffin paid a visit to Ellensburg on Feb. 13 to share his inspirational message with the CWU community.

Students, faculty and staff packed the SURC Ballroom as Griffin detailed his journey to the National Football League (NFL) and talked about how he has overcome adversity in his life. The title of his presentation was “From Pain to Purpose. From Dreams to Reality.”

Griffin made history when he became the NFL’s first-ever one-handed player in 2018. He was born with a rare condition called amniotic band syndrome, which led to immense pain in his left hand. Eventually, when he was 4 years old, the pain became strong enough that his mother found him with a kitchen knife attempting to cut his fingers off. At that point, it was clear to the Griffin family that if they wanted their son to be free of this pain, they would have to amputate his hand. 

Growing up, Griffin’s family never treated him any different from his identical twin brother, Shaquill. During his visit to CWU, Griffin emphasized his family's message of never letting him believe he couldn’t do something and to not let his condition be an excuse or hold him back from what he wanted to do.

The two brothers would eventually find their way to the University of Central Florida (UCF), where Griffin faced even more adversity. He watched his brother play cornerback for the school while he was buried on the depth chart. He even saw his scholarship rescinded. 

“My brother made a lot of sacrifices for me. My first three years of college, I didn’t play and got kicked out of school,” Griffin said in an interview with the Observer before the Feb. 13 event. “The coaches wanted to see if my brother could do well without me. He (coach) didn’t think football was a fit. So now I'm at home working two jobs not knowing about my opportunity to even get back into football let alone school. I’m on a full-ride scholarship and everything was just taken away.”

Griffin explained that the brothers have always been a package deal. During the event, he talked about when they were growing up, the twins wanted to do everything together, whether it was playing on the same team or hoping they would one day marry identical twins. Throughout their lives, the brothers have always stuck together, pushing each other to be better players, people and leaders. 

Griffin eventually regained his scholarship to play for UCF once again, and he was able to make the most of his next opportunity, earning the American Athletic Conference (ACC) Defensive Player of the Year in 2016. 

The following season, he was once again the team’s defensive catalyst and was a key player in UCF’s undefeated regular season, which earned them the ACC championship. That season also saw Griffin and the Knights advance to the College Football National Championship tournament, where their storybook season came to an end. 

Griffin explained that the support system that you surround yourself with is one of the keys to overcoming adversity.

“What stood out is my brother believed in me so much, and even though I lacked it, I was able to hold onto his belief he had in me,” he said. “He wasn’t going to allow me to lose faith. So you know what? I'm going to hold onto what you have, then I was able to see it for myself. I’d be doing a disservice if I didn’t believe it.”

With his talent on full display at UCF, Griffin eventually caught the attention of NFL scouts, and after a long time waiting, he was invited to the NFL Combine, and annual event where NFL prospects go to show off their skills in the 40-yard dash, bench press, high jump, long jump and other trials. 

Lots of eyes were on Griffin as he put on a show when he broke the record for the fastest 40-yard dash by a linebacker with a time of 4.38 seconds. It didn’t stop there, as he also impressed scouts with his strength, using a prosthetic hand to help him bench press 225 pounds for 20 reps.

All of his hard work brought him to Seattle with the 141^st pick in the 2018 NFL draft, and also reunited him with his brother, making them the first set of twins to play on the same NFL team. 

“During the draft, it was a lot of emotions because I was projected to go high … It was supposed to happen how it did because I wouldn’t have ended up in Seattle if I went higher,” Griffin said. “I did everything I was supposed to do. I’m the highest rank this and that. Why haven’t I got a shot? Just to find out I ended up falling enough in the draft to be selected by the Seattle Seahawks and play alongside my brother.

“So, people ask, ‘would you change it?’ No, not now. I would never change it because I wouldn't have received the opportunity,” he added. “What’s the odds to become the first twins ever drafted to the same team? … I wouldn’t want that to change, I don’t want that to change for nothing in the world.”

During the 2020 divisional round of the NFL playoffs, the Seahawks were facing the Green Bay Packers and the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award winner Aaron Rodgers. Griffin got to Rodgers and took him down for a sack — but not without the help of a teammate. When he looked up, he saw none other than his brother, Shaquill, as they both took down a future Hall of Fame player together.

Griffin said it was such a big moment for him and his brother that he will one day have a mural of that moment in his home. 

Griffin didn’t only face adversity during his football career. While speaking to CWU staff, students and faculty before the public event, he pointed to instances of prejudice he has faced, including when he was pulled over by an overly aggressive officer. Griffin was almost detained, but the other officer came over and recognized who they had pulled over.

Griffin's message for anyone who finds themselves in a situation like this is the same message his father always told him: “Just get home.”

Growing up as a Black kid who was missing a hand, he experienced his share of prejudice, and the whole time, he just thought it was normal.

Griffin retired from the NFL in 2022 so he could help others, and that is exactly what he has done. Apart from being a motivational speaker detailing the hurdles of his journey, he has also written two books and is beginning to work with a company to make prosthetics that cost a third of the products on the market now. 

“The takeaway from my story is it’s something transparent that all of us went through something before to be where we are at now. I’m just a reminder,” Griffin said. “That's the thing about support systems and stuff around you, sometimes you need those reminders. You get used to overcoming and overcoming and overcoming and stuff like that, and sometimes you forget where you came from.

“That’s where you need people like myself to be able to remind you to overcome, don’t get complacent, don't get tired because your next adversity may be the hardest one,” he continued. “But it doesn't mean you can’t overcome it, it’s only going to prepare you and set you up for the blessings that you will receive after you overcome it.”

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• Jackson Roberts is the co-Editor In Chief at the Observer, CWU’s student newspaper. The original story appears on the Observer’s website and was republished with permission.

• Photos courtesy of Observer co-Editor In Chief Brandon Mattesich.