Jim Griffin (American football)

James Bauman Griffin (February 8, 1942 – February 22, 1995) was an American former football defensive end who played in the American Football League (AFL) for three seasons. He also played one year in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and spent two seasons in minor leagues.

Jim Griffin
No. 77, 76
Position:Defensive end
Personal information
Born:(1942-02-08)February 8, 1942
Lake Charles, Louisiana, U.S.
Died:February 22, 1995(1995-02-22) (aged 53)
Lake Charles, Louisiana, U.S.
Career information
High school:W. O. Boston (Lake Charles, Louisiana)
College:Grambling State
NFL Draft:1964 / Round: 15 / Pick: 197
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career NFL statistics
Games played–started:42–26
Touchdowns:1
Player stats at PFR

Professional career

A graduate of Grambling State, Griffin was chosen by the San Francisco 49ers in the 15th round of the 1964 NFL draft, but released in September of that year as the 49ers reduced their squad size to meet the league limit.[1] He spent the 1964 season with the Joliet Explorers of the United Football League, and 1965 with the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL, appearing in three games for the latter.[2]

Griffin joined the AFL's San Diego Chargers in 1966, impressing head coach Sid Gillman enough with his pass rushing ability to be named in the starting line-up for their Week 2 game with the Boston Patriots.[3] He appeared in every game throughout his two years in San Diego, starting 13 out of 28 games and being credited with three sacks.[4][lower-alpha 1] In 1968, the newly-formed Cincinnati Bengals selected Griffin after the Chargers made him available in the expansion draft.[6] Griffin appeared in every game for the Bengals and started all but one.[4] In the season finale against the Jets, he scored his lone AFL touchdown, knocking the ball out of New York Jets running back Matt Snell's hands and recovering it himself in the end zone.[7]

Griffin didn't play in the AFL again, as he was released by the Bengals shortly before the start of the 1969 season.[8] He spent a single season with the Indianapolis Capitols of the Continental Football League, winning the league title,[9] then retired.[2]

Personal life

Griffin died on February 22, 1995, in Lake Charles, Louisiana.[10]

Notes
  1. The NFL did not keep sack statistics officially until 1982. Members of the Professional Football Researchers Association have largely reconstructed sack data from 1960 onwards based on official gamebooks, but the NFL does not acknowledge pre-1982 sack numbers.[5]

References
  1. "49ers drop three". Green Bay Press-Gazette. AP. September 9, 1964. p. 27 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. "Jim Griffin stats and bio". profootballarchives.com. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
  3. "Jim Griffin gets Charger call over vet Cross". Fresno Bee. AP. September 9, 1966. p. 5-B – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Jim Griffin stats". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
  5. Wassink, Zac (16 July 2021). "NFL not making pre-1982 sack stats official?". MSN.
  6. "Bengals get five Raiders". San Mateo Times. UPI. January 17, 1968. p. 45 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. Cobb, Barry (December 9, 1968). "Bengals wind up 3 and 11". Cincinnati Post. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "7 Bengals feel axe". Cincinnati Enquirer. August 27, 1969. p. 45 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Caps win CFL title". Tipton Daily Tribune. UPI. December 15, 1966. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "James Griffin obituary". Lake Charles American Press. Retrieved 2023-02-20.
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