Garrett Griffin

BIOGRAPHY

Garrett Griffin was born March 4, 1994, in Louisburg, Kansas. He is a tight end in the NFL. Garrett attended Louisburg High School in Kansas, where he was a two-time state champion in javelin and was a member of the 2010 4A Kansas state champion football team. He was coached by his father, Gary. Garrett played college football at Air Force from 2012 to 2015 and finished his career with 41 catches for 678 yards and 8 touchdowns.

Griffin graduated the same year that the Secretary of the Navy pulled strings to allow Midshipmen quarterback Keenan Reynolds to pursue an NFL spot immediately after exiting the Naval Academy. So, the rule went out among all service academies that athletes could turn pro without first serving at least two years of their five-year commitment on active duty, which had been the previous policy. Then, under a new administration, the old policy was reinstated on the eve of the NFL draft, leaving Air Force’s 2017 class — including wide receiver Jalen Robinette — without a quick road to the pros. But Griffin, like Reynolds, could continue his professional career because he graduated in the one year it was allowed. Today, Griffin serves with the Air Force reserves, logging time recruiting and helping academy applicants in the New Orleans area and spending two weeks at the admissions office in Colorado Springs during the offseason.

Griffin was signed by the New Orleans Saints as on June 6, 2016. After spending the majority of his first three seasons on the Saints practice squad, this former Air Force Academy standout’s combination of work ethic, persistence and physical nature has led to stints on the club’s active roster at the end of the past two seasons. While primarily a blocker and contributor on special teams, Griffin posted his first career receiving touchdown in the NFC Championship game.