The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Hall of Honor
- Induction:
- 2018
- Class:
- 2018
An aggressive and hard-hitting safety, Michael Griffin was a critical piece of one of the most talented and accomplished defensive backfields in UT history. Despite sharing the field with back-to-back Thorpe Award winners during his junior and senior years, Griffin made a tremendous impact of his own and was equally deserving of recognition. The group selflessly came together to create a lockdown secondary that helped guide Texas to a National Championship. Griffin appeared in 50 career games with 28 starts and posted 364 tackles, 15 TFL, four sacks, eight INTs, 23 PBU, nine forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries and a UT-record eight blocked punts. During that time the Longhorns posted a 44-7 record with three bowl wins, including back-to-back Rose Bowl championships. His 364 tackles rank eighth on UT's all-time list and his eight blocked punts rank second on the NCAA all-time list and first on UT's list. As a senior, Griffin was tabbed second-team All-America by The Associated Press and the Walter Camp Football Foundation, and was named a semifinalist for the 2006 Lott Trophy (defensive IMPACT player of the year). He started all 13 games at free safety in 2006 and earned first-team All-Big 12 honors from The Associated Press and the league's coaches, while leading the team with 126 tackles to go along with four TFL, one sack, four INT, 10 PBU, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two blocked punts. Texas finished that season 10-3 with a win over Iowa in the Alamo Bowl. Griffin also led the team in tackles in 2005 with 124, while tying the UT single-season record with four blocked punts and adding four TFL, three INTs, eight PBU, three fumble recoveries and one caused fumble en route to second-team All-Big 12 honors. One of his three interceptions was one of the iconic moments of the National Championship victory over USC as Griffin ranged all the way from his safety position to the sideline, kept his feet in bounds and kicked the pylon to give the Longhorns a touchback and halt a Trojans drive. As the team completed its perfect 13-0 season, he helped anchor a defense that ranked 10th nationally in total defense (302.9 ypg), eighth in scoring defense (16.4 ppg), fourth in pass efficiency defense (96.7) and eighth in passing defense (172.0 ypg). The 19th overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans, Griffin played nine seasons for the Titans. He was twice named to the Pro Bowl, and played in 141 career games for the team, including 103 consecutive games between 2007 and 2013. He is the franchise's all-time leader in tackles by a safety with 912. In his Titans career, he tallied 25 interceptions, seven sacks, 11 forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries, recording seven interceptions during the 2008 season. Griffin played from 2007-15 with the Titans and played his final NFL season with the Carolina Panthers in 2016. In 2018, he signed a one-day contract with Tennessee in order to retire with the franchise. A native of Austin and product of Bowie High School, Griffin returned to his hometown, completed his UT degree in Youth and Community Studies in 2017 and has started a business with former Longhorns and Titans teammate Brian Orakpo.
