BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY : AFRICAN AMERICAN " MICHAEL GRIFFIN " IS A PROFESSIONAL AMERICAN FOOTBALL SAFETY FOR THE TENNESSEE TITANS OF THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE (NFL) : GOES INTO THE " HALL OF BLACK GENIUS "

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Michael Griffin (American football)

Michael Griffin

Griffin in the 2013 NFL season.
No. 33     Tennessee Titans
Free Safety
Personal information
Date of birth: January 4, 1985 (age 29)
Place of birth: Austin, Texas
Height: 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Weight: 203 lb (92 kg)
Career information
High school: Austin (TX) Bowie
College: Texas
NFL Draft: 2007 / Round: 1 / Pick: 19
Debuted in 2007 for the Tennessee Titans
Career history
Tennessee Titans (2007–present)
Roster status: Active
Career highlights and awards
2× Pro Bowl (2008, 2010) Second-team All-Pro (2010)
Career NFL statistics as of Week 13, 2014
Tackles 636 Quarterback sacks 6.0 Interceptions 24 INT return yards 287 Forced fumbles 11 Stats at NFL.com

Michael Devin Griffin (born January 4, 1985) is a professional American football safety for the Tennessee Titans of the 

National Football League. He played college football for the University of Texas. He was drafted in the 1st round (19th overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans.

High school career

Griffin played running back and defensive back at Bowie High School. He rushed for 2,127 yards and 25 TDs along with averaging 23.4 yards per catch in his final two seasons, earning honorable mention all-state (5A) honors as a running back and All-Central Texas at both running back and defensive back.

College career

Griffin attended the University of Texas in Austin, where he started his college football career in 2003 as a true freshman for the Texas Longhorns football team. Griffin played all 12 games that season, but only started against Texas Tech andWashington State. Griffin recorded 65 tackles, with two sacks, and forced three fumbles.

Griffin's sophomore season, 2004, he also played 12 games, starting one. He registered 49 tackles, one sack, blocked two punts, tallied an interception, forced a fumble, and recovered a fumble.

For Griffin's junior season, 2005, he started 12 of 13 games at strong safety. Griffin was honored with a second-team All-Big 12 selection. Griffin led the team with 124 tackles, along with three interceptions, three fumble recoveries, and one caused fumble. Griffin tied Texas' single-season record with four punt blocks. Griffin intercepted a pass at the goal line in Texas' 41-38 Rose Bowl win against Southern California for the National Championship.

Through the 2006 football season, he had appeared in 37 career games including 15 starts and posted 238 tackles, 11 tackles-for-loss, three sacks, four interceptions, five caused fumbles, five fumble recoveries, and a UT school record six blocked punts.

NFL career

Griffin was drafted with the 19th pick of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. On May 4, head coach Jeff Fisherstated that Griffin would be moved from safety to cornerback due to Adam Pacman Jones year long suspension, however later on in the season Griffin was moved back to safety after depth at the cornerback position developed better than expected and then starting free safety Calvin Lowry struggled to prevent the big play. Griffin finished the season with three interceptions and one forced fumble (all of which came at the safety position), as well as fifty-four total tackles. On June 19, 2012, Griffin agreed to a 5-year-deal worth roughly $35 million.^[1] On November 9, 2012, Griffin was fined $20,000 for his horse-collar tackle on Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte.^[2]

NFL stats

Year	Team	GP	COMB	TOTAL	AST	SACK	FF	FR	FR YDS	INT	IR YDS	AVG IR	LNG	TD	PD
2007	TEN	16	54	41	13	0.0	1	0	0	3	3	1	3	0	7
2008	TEN	16	75	55	20	1.0	1	1	0	7	172	25	83	1	11
2009	TEN	16	77	57	20	1.0	2	2	0	1	3	3	3	0	7
2010	TEN	16	108	86	22	0.0	2	2	20	4	50	13	28	0	12
2011	TEN	16	75	59	16	0.0	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	7
2012	TEN	16	79	60	19	1.0	2	0	0	4	59	15	33	0	4
2013	TEN	14	82	61	21	0.0	3	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	4
Career		115	587	447	140	4.0	12	6	0	24	299	12	83	1	54

^[3]

Key

• GP: games played
• COMB: combined tackles
• TOTAL: total tackles
• AST: assisted tackles
• SACK: sacks
• FF: forced fumbles
• FR: fumble recoveries
• FR YDS: fumble return yards
• INT: interceptions
• IR YDS: interception return yards
• AVG IR: average interception return
• LNG: longest interception return
• TD: interceptions returned for touchdown
• PD: passes defensed

Personal

In college, Griffin was an honors student majoring in youth and community studies.^[4] His twin brother, Marcus Griffin, was also a defensive back at UT. He always wears a watch during practices and his teammates often ask him how many minutes before practice is over. Their parents, Ronald and Mae, are both retired from the United States Armed Services.

In 2010 Griffin joined the School of the Legends (SOTL), which is an online community for NFL Players, coaches, and fans.

Griffin is engaged to long time girlfriend, Shantel Spence, mother of his daughter Mya D. Griffin.