Cornelius Griffin facts for kids
Griffin in 2007
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| Position: | Defensive tackle | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | December 3, 1976 Troy, Alabama, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 303 lb (137 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Brundidge (AL) Pike Co. | ||||||||||
| College: | Alabama | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2000 / Round: 2 / Pick: 42 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
Cornelius Griffin (born December 3, 1976) is a former American football player. He played as a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). Cornelius was picked by the New York Giants in the 2000 NFL Draft. He also played for the Washington Redskins. Before the NFL, he played college football at Pearl River Community College and the University of Alabama.
Contents
Early Life and College Football Journey
Where Did Cornelius Griffin Grow Up?
Cornelius Griffin was born in Troy, Alabama. He was one of seven children. His father, Willie Griffin, was a pastor. Cornelius went to Pike County High School in Brundidge, Alabama, and graduated in 1995.
Playing College Football
After high school, Cornelius started his college football career. He played as a defensive tackle for Pearl River Community College in Mississippi. He was a very good player there.
Later, he decided to play for the University of Alabama. He started in 23 of 25 games for the Crimson Tide team. In 1999, his senior year, he was named to the All-Southeastern Conference first-team. This meant he was one of the best players in his conference.
Cornelius Griffin's NFL Career
Getting Drafted by the New York Giants
In the year 2000, Cornelius Griffin was chosen in the second round of the 2000 NFL draft. The New York Giants picked him. The Giants' General Manager, Ernie Accorsi, was very impressed. He said Cornelius's workouts were "unbelievable" and thought he would be a first-round pick.
Playing for the New York Giants
Cornelius played for the Giants for four seasons. He was a starter in Super Bowl 35. In that big game, he made 1.5 sacks. A sack is when a defensive player tackles the opposing team's quarterback behind the line of scrimmage.
Joining the Washington Redskins
On March 3, 2004, Cornelius joined the Washington Redskins. He signed with them as a free agent. The Redskins were a rival team to the Giants in the NFC East division.
His best season was in 2004 with the Redskins. He made 96 tackles and six sacks that year. Over his whole career, he had 29 sacks and 461 tackles as a defensive tackle. He was released by the Redskins on March 4, 2010.
What Did Cornelius Griffin Do After the NFL?
After his time in the NFL, Cornelius Griffin became a businessman. He bought a part of Flowers Insurance Company in Troy, Alabama. The company is now called Griffin-Wilkes Insurance.
He also started coaching football. He has coached at Pike Liberal Arts High School. Currently, he coaches for the Pike County High School Bulldogs in Brundidge, Alabama. This is his hometown high school!
Cornelius Griffin's NFL Stats
Here are some of Cornelius Griffin's statistics from his NFL career:
| Year | Team | Games Played | Total Tackles | Sacks | Forced Fumbles | Fumble Recoveries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | NYG | 15 | 34 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 | NYG | 16 | 63 | 2.5 | 0 | 1 |
| 2002 | NYG | 14 | 49 | 4.0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2003 | NYG | 15 | 55 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2004 | WSH | 15 | 70 | 6.0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2005 | WSH | 13 | 35 | 4.0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2006 | WSH | 14 | 50 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2007 | WSH | 16 | 43 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | WSH | 14 | 28 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | WSH | 14 | 34 | 2.0 | 1 | 0 |
| Career Total | 146 | 461 | 29.0 | 4 | 5 |
