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Count Seahawks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney as a big fan of teammate Shaquem Griffin. During a recent press conference, Clowney admitted to being surprised by all that Griffin is able to do despite having one hand.
“Man, that guy [Shaquem Griffin], since I’ve been here I think he’s been probably the shocking, surprise person to me out of anybody on this whole team,” Clowney noted. “Griffin, because, I play video games with him. I still ask him, ‘How in the world are you over here playing this video game with this one hand. You can do so much that nobody even know with this one hand.’ It is so shocking to me to be out there with him. I tell him, ‘Man, you surprise me every day.’ He does so much with [one hand]. When he shoots basketballs good with it. He do everything. You know, I don’t ever put nothing past him now, he done shown me so much…I don’t even worry. I’m like, he’s gonna take care of his own, even with one hand. He still goes out there and do his thing. I am a big supporter and a big fan of his since I’ve been here.”
Griffin has gone from being used almost exclusively on special teams to being utilized more on defense. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll recently noted that the team is trying to utilize his speed in certain situations on defense.
The Seahawks Are Utilizing Shaquem Griffin More on Defense
Griffin received playing time early in his rookie season, but his inexperience showed causing him to see the field less. Griffin has bounced back in his second season, and Carroll is hoping he can play a key role on defense with getting to the quarterback.
“We’ve been practicing him the last couple weeks and getting him some chances,” Carroll said, per Seahawks.com. “He’s so fast and he looks like he’s going to cause some problems. He got tackled about four times and engulfed in some stuff, he’ll cause some problems. It was great to get him on the field and we’ll get a look at it and we’ll just try and see if we can fit him in and develop a role for him. That’s really what we’re searching for, a role for him to help us.”
Griffin Talks Trash Back to His Opponents
Griffin ran a 4.38 40-yard dash at the NFL combine which is one of the fastest times ever for a linebacker. The Seahawks are hoping that speed can help the squad on more than just special teams. Griffin admits that opponents are often surprised to see him on the field, but he has no problem talking trash back to them.
“I felt way more comfortable at that position, being able to rush the edge, talk trash to the big guys,” Griffin explained, per Seahawks.com. “It’s always weird, when they see a real small guy, they just want to talk so much trash when I step out there, but I don’t think they expect me to talk trash back. But it always feels good to be out there, getting after the ball a little bit, being able to use my speed. It’s less thinking and just more playing ball.”
Sports Illustrated reported that Griffin saw 14 snaps on defense against the 49ers in Week 10. Griffin spent the majority of those plays coming off the edge in place of Ziggy Ansah who has had a disappointing start to the season.
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