Shaquem Griffin captured the attention of football fans everywhere with his positive demeanor as he overcame the adversity of having only one hand. He still made it to the NFL after a great career at UCF with his twin brother, Shaquill, playing three seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. At the age of 27, he is calling it a career.

Griffin announced his retirement from the NFL via The Players' Tribune. He explained that, after getting cut by the Seahawks in 2020, he had gotten what he wanted out of football and has shifted his efforts towards endeavors that will make a serious difference in the world, which he has always prioritized over football. “Football was always Plan B…It’s time for me to execute my Plan A,” Griffin wrote.

“Honestly, it’s still a little surreal. After everything I’ve been through in my life — all the hard work, all the doubters — it’s almost unthinkable that I’m hangin’ it up and moving on from the game of football,” Shaquem Griffin wrote in The Player's Tribune. “But I know the positive effect I’m having on others. I’m speaking at colleges and universities, talking to football teams and even presenting to corporate America about never doubting yourself and tirelessly pursuing your dreams. People at companies want to hear what I have to say when actually I’m the one that can learn so much from them. It’s crazy.”

In his three seasons with the Seahawks after being drafted 141st overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, Shaquem Griffin recorded 25 total tackles, one pass defended and one sack. He signed a deal with the Miami Dolphins but never appeared with the team. He decided that he only wanted to play with his brother, who signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars before the 2021 season.

Shaquem Griffin's retirement will allow him to help make the world a better place and inspire others, which has always been important to him.