It’s past time for the Seahawks to bring Shaquem Griffin home
The Seahawks made an inspirational move when they brought Shaquem Griffin back at the NFL draft to announce the third-round pick. Now they need to make a smart move and bring him back full-time.
It’s pretty difficult to think of a more inspirational player than Shaquem Griffin. He may not have been the best player on the Seahawks defense, but there’s no doubt that no player worked harder or smarter. I mean, when you’re playing against the best athletes in the world with one hand, you better know how to play. I’d say that if the Seahawks had made better use of him – that’s on the not-at-all-missed Ken Norton Jr. – he might still be playing in the league.
I’m not saying that the Seahawks need to bring him back as a player. Not as just a player, anyway. I’m all for giving him the opportunity to prove he can still bring it on the football field. I believe he can still get it done. Not surprisingly, so does he.
Seahawks need Shaquem Griffin, either on or off the field
As reported by John Perrotto for Forbes, Shaquem Griffin is ready to step back on the field. However, he can contribute even more to the Hawks off the field.
"“I stay ready because I want to get ready, so I’m always working out and preparing for whatever opportunity might come along. Now that I’m older, though, I’m in a spot where my name is starting to have pull in a lot of different areas. The NFL has asked me to be an ambassador and if that’s my role, great.”"
Griffin already has a lot on his plate. He’s currently an ambassador for Citi’s #StareAtGreatness campaign. It’s all about emphasizing the accomplishments of para-athletes. Who better to emphasize abilities over disabilities than Shaquem Griffin? That doesn’t mean he’s let go of his dream to compete, though. As quoted in the same article, Griffin said:
"“My plan is to get ready to get on another team but it’s like now I want to change the narrative and I want to be in place where I can have fun. I’m willing to take the initiative to become an ambassador and be able to start doing things that are definitely bigger than just me catching on with a team.”"
That is why I believe the Seahawks need to bring Griffin back. Let’s see what he can do on the field in a defense that’s a better fit for his abilities. At the same time, the Hawks have an opening in their front office now. Former scouting executive Alonzo Highsmith has left the organization to join the Miami Hurricanes. I’m pretty sure that Shaquem Griffin recognized what it takes to play in the NFL. If he can’t make it on the field, he’ll still make the Seahawks better by coming home.