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Shaquem Griffin continues to impress. The one-handed UCF product, who was drafted in the fifth round by the Seattle Seahawks, has forced two turnovers in as many days at training camp. Most recently, the 23-year-old linebacker picked off Russell Wilson at the goal line.
Shaquem Griffin snatches the INT from Russell Wilson 👀
(via @Seahawks) pic.twitter.com/XjvHgLsJRU
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 31, 2018
Seahawks LBs flock to Shaquem Griffin after a pick pic.twitter.com/14gbqwl9cT
— Stacy Jo Rost (@StacyRost) July 30, 2018
Draft analysts: Shaquem Griffin is good, but how's he going to get interceptions with only one hand?
Shaquem: pic.twitter.com/QNKHTMI6RB— Chris Spooner (@SpoonfulofSport) July 31, 2018
Griffin’s early success in the NFL shouldn’t be surprising when you consider how much he’s achieved in the past. Shaquem was born with amniotic band syndrome affecting his left hand, causing his fingers on his left hand not to fully develop. When he was four, his mother found him in the kitchen with a butcher knife trying to cut off his fingers due to the pain. His parents scheduled an amputation the following day.
Since then, Shaquem was awarded a full scholarship to UCF, named the 2018 Peach Bowl Defensive MVP and the 2016 American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year, performed 20 reps in the NFL combine bench press while wearing a prosthesis, and ran the fastest 40-yard dash time by a linebacker since the NFL released official statistics (4.38 seconds).
The dude also looks hungry AF.
Shaquem Griffin. Day one of his first NFL training camp.
Amazing. #Seahawks @thenewstribune pic.twitter.com/KBT04oQVGu
— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) July 26, 2018
It may be time for me to stop making excuses. Shit.