Quentin Griffin
Encyclopedia
Quentin LaVell Griffin is an American football
running back
.
in Houston.
, Griffin ran for 783 yards and 16 touchdown
s and added 45 receptions
for 406 yards. He was an All-Big 12
first team selection and was named to the Big 12 All-academic team, his first of three consecutive nominations to both squads. Junior totals were 182 for 884 with 9 TDs on the ground with 55 for 448 and 2 TDs as a receiver, and as a senior totaled 287 carries for 1,884 yards with 15 scores, placing him second in the league for rushing. Also caught 35 passes for 264 yards with three additional scores. The three-year starter
helped his school win a national championship in 2000
and he finished fourth in school history in career rushing yards (3,756), third in touchdowns (44) and chose to preserve Billy Sims record and finish second in all-purpose yards (4,973).
of the National Football League
with the 11th pick of the fourth round (108th overall) in the 2003 NFL Draft
. He went on to appear in 16 games, including five starts in his initial two seasons in the league. He even set a Broncos franchise record in 2004 for most rushing yards in a season opener with a career-high 156 yards on 23 carries against the Kansas City Chiefs
while also scoring the first three touchdowns of his pro career. His rise to the top came to a sudden halt in 2004 when he tore the ACL
in his right knee in Week 7, ending his season early.
Although he was highly productive in two seasons with the Broncos, totaling 179 rushes for 656 yards (3.7 avg.) and two touchdowns, in addition to catching 18 passes for 129 yards and one score, the injury caused him to drop to the bottom of the depth chart
behind Mike Anderson, Tatum Bell
and Ron Dayne
. In September 2005, Denver released Griffin and then brought him back a few weeks later, only to release him again the next month, but this time for good.
In March 2006, Griffin agreed to terms with the Kansas City Chiefs on a one-year deal, but in September 2006, he was cut from the team.
On February 23, 2007, Griffin was chosen by the Hamburg Sea Devils
as the second overall pick in the NFL Europa Free Agent Draft. Griffin was the Sea Devils' top rusher with a 4.6 yard average and was third-best among starting running backs in the NFLE. The multi-dimensional Griffin also led NFL Europa in kickoff return average.
On February 29, 2008, he was signed to a one-year plus an option year contract with the Saskatchewan Roughriders
. He was released by the Roughriders on June 20, 2008, following the team's final preseason game. According to media reports, Roughriders' head coach Ken Miller
was "so upset with Griffin following (the game) that he cut the former NFLer at the airport." Griffen had reportedly "pulled himself out of the game early in the second quarter, telling the coaches 'he didn't have any interest in playing a preseason game where he might get hurt'."
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
.
Early years
Griffin started his football career as a youth playing in the Humble Area Football League.High school
Griffin starred at Nimitz High SchoolNimitz High School (Harris County, Texas)
Chester W. Nimitz Senior High School is a public secondary school made up of two campuses located in unincorporated Harris County, Texas. The campuses have Houston addresses...
in Houston.
College
As a sophomore at OklahomaOklahoma Sooners
The University of Oklahoma features 19 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's teams are called the Sooners, a nickname given to the early participants in the land rushes which initially opened the Oklahoma Indian Territory to non-native settlement. They participate in the NCAA's Division I-A,...
, Griffin ran for 783 yards and 16 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s and added 45 receptions
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
for 406 yards. He was an All-Big 12
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
first team selection and was named to the Big 12 All-academic team, his first of three consecutive nominations to both squads. Junior totals were 182 for 884 with 9 TDs on the ground with 55 for 448 and 2 TDs as a receiver, and as a senior totaled 287 carries for 1,884 yards with 15 scores, placing him second in the league for rushing. Also caught 35 passes for 264 yards with three additional scores. The three-year starter
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
helped his school win a national championship in 2000
2001 Orange Bowl
The 2001 FedEx Orange Bowl game was a post-season college football bowl game and BCS National Championship match between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the Florida State Seminoles on January 3, 2001, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida...
and he finished fourth in school history in career rushing yards (3,756), third in touchdowns (44) and chose to preserve Billy Sims record and finish second in all-purpose yards (4,973).
Professional
Griffin was drafted by the Denver BroncosDenver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
with the 11th pick of the fourth round (108th overall) in the 2003 NFL Draft
2003 NFL Draft
The 2003 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft was held April 26–27, 2003 at the Theatre at...
. He went on to appear in 16 games, including five starts in his initial two seasons in the league. He even set a Broncos franchise record in 2004 for most rushing yards in a season opener with a career-high 156 yards on 23 carries against the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
while also scoring the first three touchdowns of his pro career. His rise to the top came to a sudden halt in 2004 when he tore the ACL
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
in his right knee in Week 7, ending his season early.
Although he was highly productive in two seasons with the Broncos, totaling 179 rushes for 656 yards (3.7 avg.) and two touchdowns, in addition to catching 18 passes for 129 yards and one score, the injury caused him to drop to the bottom of the depth chart
National Football League depth chart
An NFL depth chart is a contextually enhanced player roster published by each National Football League franchise.-Format:The first column of players listed are part of the starting lineup. Each week in the NFL head coaches are required to submit a list of the players who will start the game in...
behind Mike Anderson, Tatum Bell
Tatum Bell
Tatum Antoine Bell is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft...
and Ron Dayne
Ron Dayne
Ron Dayne is a former American football running back who is currently a free agent. He holds the NCAA record for career rushing yards, and he won the 1999 Heisman Trophy.-Early life:...
. In September 2005, Denver released Griffin and then brought him back a few weeks later, only to release him again the next month, but this time for good.
In March 2006, Griffin agreed to terms with the Kansas City Chiefs on a one-year deal, but in September 2006, he was cut from the team.
On February 23, 2007, Griffin was chosen by the Hamburg Sea Devils
Hamburg Sea Devils
The Hamburg Sea Devils were an American football team that began play in NFL Europa from 2005 to 2007. They played their home games at Hamburg's AOL Arena . They played their first game on April 2, 2005 losing 24-23 to the Cologne Centurions...
as the second overall pick in the NFL Europa Free Agent Draft. Griffin was the Sea Devils' top rusher with a 4.6 yard average and was third-best among starting running backs in the NFLE. The multi-dimensional Griffin also led NFL Europa in kickoff return average.
On February 29, 2008, he was signed to a one-year plus an option year contract with the Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
. He was released by the Roughriders on June 20, 2008, following the team's final preseason game. According to media reports, Roughriders' head coach Ken Miller
Ken Miller (football coach)
Ken Miller is the Head Coach and Vice President of Football Operations for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. He served as the Roughriders head coach between 2008 and 2010, leading the team to appearances in the Grey Cup in 2009 and 2010...
was "so upset with Griffin following (the game) that he cut the former NFLer at the airport." Griffen had reportedly "pulled himself out of the game early in the second quarter, telling the coaches 'he didn't have any interest in playing a preseason game where he might get hurt'."