From prepractice salutes to blistering speed, Shaquem Griffin is everything Flores wants
Every day when Shaquem Griffin runs onto the practice field at the Miami Dolphins’ new Baptist Health Training Complex outside Hard Rock Stadium, he turns to the crowd, waves and salutes with his right hand.
It makes sense, given how excited — and grateful — he was to get a call from Brian Flores last month. With less than a week until training camp began, Griffin still didn’t have a home for the 2021 NFL season until the coach called him in the penultimate week of July to let him know Miami was signing him to a one-year deal and bringing him to South Florida for preseason practices.
“I started screaming in the house,” said the 26-year-old linebacker, who made history in 2018 as the first one-handed player drafted into the NFL. “It was like being drafted all over again. ... I calmed back down and I had a good conversation with the coach. The opportunity is amazing, and I’m just glad they gave me a shot.”
With more than a week of training camp done and the Dolphins’ first preseason game less than 10 days away, Griffin has made an early case to make the roster for the regular season.
With three seasons and 50 games of NFL experience now behind him, Griffin has proved he’s more than just an inspiring story. Griffin, who was born with amniotic band syndrome and had his left hand amputated at 4, has started to carve out a place in the league as an infectious, energy-infusing versatile defensive puzzle piece. He is, on paper, the consummate Flores player.
“You feel his energy within 30 seconds of being around the guy,” Flores said last Thursday. “He’s got some speed, toughness. He’s smart, some position flexibility. As you guys know, I like to have that.”
The 6-foot, 227-pound athlete is a linebacker by trade, but has the body and athleticism of a safety, and experience as an edge rusher. In college, Griffin was a a two-time first-team all-American Athletic Conference selection — and a second-team All-American in 2017 — largely because of the 33 1/2 tackles for loss he piled up in his final two seasons with the University of Central Florida. In 2018, he set a record for linebackers the NFL Scouting Combine by running the 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds.
Jerome Baker was there in the same position group when Griffin — at least to a wider, more casual audience — became more than just his unlikely story.
The linebacker, of course, was enamored with Griffin’s story. He also became enamored with Griffin’s personality and style of play.
Now they’re teammates and Baker is still impressed by everything about Griffin. He didn’t expect Griffin to remember him, but Baker said they “embraced” on the first day of camp when they were reunited in Miami Gardens.
“I’m happy he’s a part of this team. I watched some of his off-the-field workouts,” Baker said last week. “I was always a fan of his. I’m definitely excited he’s on our team, and the energy he brings — he’s definitely going to fit in with us and help our team.”
In the last week, Griffin has gotten an opportunity to showcase himself with fellow linebackers Andrew Van Ginkel and Jaelan Phillips sidelined by injuries.
The linebacker group is crowded, but Griffin has ways to provide value for the Dolphins. He has always been a willing special-teams player and his story, as much as he wants to be more than just that, does help make him a natural leader and example to teammates.
To make the team, Griffin said he’s willing to do, “Anything.”
“No matter what it is — if it’s just running fast, if it’s just me being a good guy in the locker room — I’m willing to do whatever,” Griffin said. “If you want me to kick the ball, I will. Snap it? It doesn’t matter. If you want me to throw it — I’m not good at throwing — I’ll do that too.”
