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 on December 3, 1976, is a former American professional football player. He played as a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). The New York Giants picked him in the second round of the 2000 NFL draft. He also played college football at Pearl River Community College and the University of Alabama. Later in his career, Griffin played for the Washington Redskins.
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Early Life and College Football
Cornelius Griffin was born in Troy, Alabama. He was one of seven children. His father, Willie Griffin, was a pastor. Cornelius graduated from Pike County High School in Brundidge, Alabama, in 1995.
He started his college football journey at Pearl River Community College in Mississippi. Even though he first planned to go to Auburn University, Griffin chose to play for the University of Alabama. This was because Auburn coaches wanted him to play as a tight end, but Griffin preferred to stay a defensive tackle.
At the University of Alabama, he was a key player for the Crimson Tide. He started in 23 out of 25 games. In 1999, during his senior year, he was named to the All-Southeastern Conference first-team. This means he was considered one of the best players in his position in the SEC conference.
Professional Football Career
Joining the NFL: 2000 NFL Draft
Cornelius Griffin was chosen by the New York Giants in the second round of the 2000 NFL draft. This was a big moment for him. The Giants' General Manager, Ernie Accorsi, was very impressed with Griffin's skills. He even said that Griffin's workouts were "unbelievable" and that they saw him as a player who should have been picked in the first round.
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand size | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 3+1⁄8 in (1.91 m) |
297 lb (135 kg) |
33 in (0.84 m) |
10 in (0.25 m) |
4.85 s | 1.70 s | 2.81 s | 4.62 s | 7.63 s | 31 in (0.79 m) |
9 ft 3 in (2.82 m) |
30 reps | |
| All values from NFL Combine | ||||||||||||
Playing for the New York Giants
Griffin played for the New York Giants for four seasons. He was a starter in Super Bowl 35, which is one of the biggest games in American sports. In that game, he made 1.5 sacks, showing his strength as a defensive player.
Time with the Washington Redskins
On March 3, 2004, Griffin joined the Washington Redskins. He signed with them as an unrestricted free agent. The Redskins were a rival team to the Giants in the NFC East division.
His best season was in 2004 while playing for the Redskins. That year, he made 96 tackles and six sacks. Throughout his entire NFL career, he had a total of 29 sacks and 461 tackles. He was released from the Redskins on March 4, 2010.
After His NFL Career
After retiring from professional football, Cornelius Griffin became involved in business. He bought a part of Flowers Insurance Company in Troy, Alabama. The company's name was later changed to Griffin-Wilkes Insurance.
Griffin also started coaching football. He coached at Pike Liberal Arts High School in Troy, Alabama. More recently, he has been coaching for the Pike County High School Bulldogs in Brundidge, Alabama. This is the same high school he attended when he was younger.
Images for kids
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Griffin in 2007
