St. Pete’s Shaquem Griffin retires from NFL
August 27, 2022 - Lakewood High School graduate and former Seattle Seahawks linebacker Shaquem Griffin, the first one-handed player in the NFL, announced his retirement Wednesday. The St. Petersburg native experienced amniotic band syndrome in the womb, which resulted in doctors amputating Griffin’s left hand at the wrist at age 4. Despite the challenges of playing football as a one-handed defender, he went on to star for the University of Central Florida. The Seahawks drafted Griffin in the fifth round of the 2018 draft, reuniting him with his twin brother, cornerback Shaquill. In his announcement, Griffin wrote that “football was always Plan B,” and he now hopes to make a positive impact throughout the NFL Legends Community foundation.