Howard Griffith
Howard Griffith, star Full Back for the Super Bowl XXXII and XXXIII champion Denver Broncos team is regarded as one of the NFL’s best blocking backs, whose professional career spanned over ten years.
As an unrestricted free agent, Griffith signed with the Denver Broncos for the 1997 season…a decision coach Mike Shanahan and legendary quarterback, John Elway both considered a major key to the team’s overall success. Soon after, Griffith made a name for himself as the man who assisted Tail Back, Terrell Davis to achieve over 2000 rushing yards in a regular season. Griffith’s athletic ability as well as his leadership skills on and off the field captured the attention of the national sports media and the respect of his peers.
Griffith’s other league affiliations included the Buffalo Bills (member of the 1991 AFC Championship team), the San Diego Chargers (member of the AFC-Western Conference Championship team), and the Los Angeles Rams as a starting Full Back in 1994. While with the Rams, Griffith was one of the primary blockers for All-Pro Running Back, Jerome Bettis. In 1995, Griffith’s record caught the attention of the Carolina Panthers expansion team. He was then drafted as the eighth player overall in the expansion allocation draft. For the Panther organization, Griffith was the first player in the team’s history to score a touchdown both, rushing and receiving. He played an integral part in leading the team to their first NFC Championship Game. Griffith has been credited as being the first Fullback in the history of the National Football League in assisting six different Running Backs in rushing for over 1000 yards in a regular season. Griffith was named “Offensive Player of the Week seven times.”
A native of Chicago, Griffith attended the University of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana). He became the football team’s captain and proceeded to break several football records including Jim Brown’s 48 point game record and Harold “Red” Grange’s 33 touchdowns in a career. Griffith holds Illinois’ single game rushing record of 263 yards; he set NCAA records with eight (8) touchdowns and 48 points in one game, becoming the third all-time leading rusher in Illinois history. To date, he holds one of the top five receiving records. Griffith graduated in 1991 receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Communications.
Now retired from the NFL, Griffith has been working as a football analyst. Currently Griffith is one of the lead in-studio analysts for the Big Ten Network, where he uses his professional expertise to give his analysis of the Big Ten Football Conference games. Additionally, he is co-host for ESPN-Radio Chicago, giving his weekly analysis of the NFL. In 2005, he was an analyst for the NFL and NFL Europe football leagues, as he commentated games that were broadcast by FOX and the NFL Networks. Additionally, in 2001, Griffith published his sports memoir, LAYING IT ON THE LINE (Sports Publishing Inc: 2001) that charts his football journey from the South Side of Chicago to the Super Bowl. Griffith also spends his time on his various entrepreneurial and charitable ventures. He and his wife, Kim live in Chicago with their two sons, Howard II and Houston.
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