Shaquem Griffin and his post-NFL life: ‘Put me in a room, and let my energy shine’

Shaquem Griffin’s identity has been associated with football much of his life. Now a little over a year after retiring from NFL competition, his schedule is varied. Beyond the game he loves.

If you need Griffin this week, look for him at New York Fashion Week. Griffin will host the annual Runway of Dreams Foundation annual show, a fashion presentation that will empower people with disabilities and showcase adaptive apparel on Wednesday.

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Griffin is best known to many football fans as the NFL linebacker who made it to the league despite not having a left hand. He had his hand amputated when he was 4 years old as a result of complications associated with amniotic band syndrome.

Griffin still managed to check tons of boxes off his football resume. While at UCF, he was the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2016. He also was a two-time All-AAC player before getting selected in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. When he was drafted, he became the only known one-handed player in NFL history. Griffin spent three seasons with the Seahawks and was part of the Miami Dolphins practice squad in 2021 before announcing his retirement in August 2022.

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This past weekend kicked off the second season without Griffin wearing an NFL uniform — but without the game, Griffin has managed to find greater purpose and joy. The upcoming fashion show is just next on a busy, promising list.

“I was blessed to have a steady transition where I didn’t have a really down transition,” Griffin said. “I had opportunities, and I was able to take advantage. … I’ve always had the mindset of if I don’t know how to do it, I’ll figure it out. Put me in a room, and let my energy shine. That’s kind of how I’ve always been — from Little League, to high school, to college, to the NFL.”

There’s no way to replace the camaraderie of the locker room, but Griffin has found other gifts and avenues to empower people in ways he never believed he could had he still been playing. He has traveled the country as a motivational speaker, which has allowed him to tap into his passion for helping youth. He has worked with the NFL Legends Community, which helps former players find fulfillment in life after they are finished playing.

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Griffin has been involved in media work, appearing as an analyst on the NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football.” He’s also working on a film about his family that includes his twin brother, Shaquill, a cornerback for the Houston Texans.

Perhaps most fulfilling, Griffin recently became a father to a son, Shaquem Griffin Jr. There hasn’t been much time to slow down.

As he continues life off the field, Griffin remains ardent about helping those with disabilities. He’s been approached by several companies about being a spokesperson for prosthetics. He’d declined for years, in part, because of the high costs for those in need of them. Griffin said prosthetics were around $30,000 when he was in college, and that price has increased as he’s gotten older.

But Griffin now has found a partner in Toronto-based company smartARM, which is using AI technology to make the arm more functional. The technology uses sensors to help determine what the best grip is for picking up items. Griffin said part of the issue he’d had with other prosthetics was the limited number of grips that could be used.

The company also aims to make prosthetics more accessible. That’s important to Griffin, who remembers the time when his family could not afford the costly prosthetic limbs.

Griffin’s family could not afford expensive prosthetics, so his father, Terry, built adaptive gear that helped him lift weights to become an elite football player. It’s a reason he’s passionate about working with smartARM, which he said will offer payment plans to help families afford to purchase the prosthetics.

VIDEO: Shaquem Griffin, with the help of his twin brother Shaquill, show off devices built by their dad to help him lift weights and train 🏋️‍♂️

(🎥: Instagram/@thecheckdown)

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Griffin went into retirement with the goal of helping others. The NFL Legends allows him to help other former players and expose them to resources that can prove beneficial.

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Griffin wants to use motivational speaking as inspiration. He said he’s recently connected with several well-known speakers, included noted author and educator Dr. Eric Thomas. That meant as much to him as meeting a legendary football player.

“I got invited to be on one of his shows, which is amazing,” Griffin said. “Being a kid, listening to motivational speaking, besides Ray Lewis, you start seeing the Eric Thomases. “It’s a blessing to see when I jump into this space that he’s noticing, and he’s happy for me.”

This avenue for helping others has long been a part of Griffin’s goals. He’s wanted to be a motivational speaker since he was in high school. His mother, Tangie, wanted him to be a doctor, but he said the sight of blood wasn’t something he wanted to deal with.

As a speaker, Griffin wondered if he would be able to connect with an audience. He puts in a lot of time to become better at speaking, often practicing his delivery with his girlfriend, Jaimie Clement.

Griffin has spoken to large companies, but he thoroughly appreciates connecting with youth and encouraging them to express their feelings.

“It’s a time for them to be vulnerable,” Griffin said. “For the older generation, it’s a work in progress to be vulnerable, and they come from a time where it was structured to be Mr. Tough all the time. You just never know, but you can see it directly in their faces.”

Griffin has found his life after football a way not only to help others, but also a way to help himself.

“You’ve got some people who have had traumas, some who have dealt with adversities. You learn something from them,” he said. “Now, I’m speaking on them all the time. It’s therapeutic because you appreciate it so much more. People hear your story because it’s a vulnerable time, but when they understand it, it’s a moment where you feel understood and appreciate the place you’re at.

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“It’s a steady reminder to keep going, honestly.”

(Top photos by Mike Coppola and Christian Petersen / Getty Images)