The following editorial originally appeared in The (Tacoma) News Tribune:
Fifth-round draft picks rarely make national headlines, but last weekend’s selection of Shaquem Griffin by the Seattle Seahawks got the attention of fans everywhere. And not just the football kind. We’re talking fans of heart-tugging reunions and movie-of-the-week happy endings.
First, it’s not every day identical twins play professional football, let alone suit up for the same team. Shaquem’s brother Shaquill, a cornerback, was a Seattle third-round draft pick last year.
Second, Shaquem became the first one-handed player to get drafted into the modern NFL. This story of brotherly devotion and a no-excuse drive toward success is enough to make grown men cry, and indeed, the salty spigots were flowing at team headquarters Saturday when the twins learned the dream they’ve worked for since age 5 was coming true.
At a time when heroes seem in short supply, the Griffin brothers will undoubtedly motivate people from Seattle to Steilacoom. And let’s face it, coming out of last year’s nonplayoff season — the first since 2011 — the Hawks could use a shot of inspiration.
Defying-all-odds is the label Shaquem has lived under since age 4, when his left hand was amputated due to a rare pre-birth condition called Amniotic Band Syndrome.
Being one-handed never slowed him down, and when the 6-foot-1, 227-pound linebacker takes the field, his missing limb might be the first thing fans look for but the last thing they notice.
At the NFL scouting combine in March, Shaquem ran the 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds, a time unattained by a linebacker since 2003. He also benched 20 repetitions of 225 pounds using a special prosthetic.
At the combine, coach Pete Carroll sat down with Shaquem for a 15-minute interview and later said the player “moved us all.” His Seahawks tryout demonstrated what could be called the Pete Carroll trifecta: speed, strength and heart.
The heart part was cultivated in the backyard of the Griffins’ Florida home, where dad served as coach. Early on, the word “can’t” was banned from Shaquem’s vocabulary.
One hand or two, both twins had to mow the lawn, rake leaves and work hard. As Shaquem told reporters, “I took a couple of footballs to the face before I learned to catch.”
The brothers attended the University of Central Florida even though Shaquill was offered spots at more prestigious schools. He chose UCF to play alongside his twin. Shaquem helped the Knights go undefeated last season. In 2016, the American Athletic Conference honored him as defensive player of the year.
No one expects the Griffin brothers to offset the big-name departures of Richard Sherman, Michael Bennett and Jimmy Graham, but the brothers’ spirit bodes well for a new Seahawks chapter.
Too often the game of football is sullied by players. Behavior on and off the field, whether illegal or a show of poor sportsmanship, becomes a stain on the entire franchise, even the host city.
Over several years, the Seahawks have earned something of a national bad-boy identity. How refreshing that they’re now part of a G-rated storyline full of unabashed sentimentality.
The team’s choice of Shaquem Griffin is a reflection of a rare philosophy in professional sports, one that recognizes the difference between a team that wins and a team of winners.
In the upcoming season, may the Seattle Seahawks know both.
