Curtis McGriff (born May 17, 1958) is a former
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
defensive lineman
In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line, while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line. A numbe ...
in the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL) for the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
and the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
.
Early life
McGriff grew up in rural
Houston County, Alabama
Houston County is a county located in the southeastern corner of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census the population was 107,202. Its county seat is Dothan, which is located on the border and partially in adjacent Henry County.
Ho ...
in the southeastern corner of the state. He attended and played football at Cottonwood High School in
Cottonwood, Alabama
Cottonwood is a town in Houston County, Alabama, United States. One source said the town incorporated in 1901, although the 1910 U.S. Census stated 1903. It is part of the Dothan, Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2010 census the popu ...
graduating in 1976. He played
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
at the
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama, UA, or Bama) is a Public university, public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of Alabama is the oldest and la ...
in
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa ( ) is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west-central Alabama, United States, on the Black Warrior River where the Gulf Coastal and Piedmont plains meet. Alabama's fifth-largest city, it had an estimated population of 1 ...
for the legendary coach
Paul "Bear" Bryant
Paul William "Bear" Bryant (September 11, 1913 – January 26, 1983) was an American college football player and coach. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest college football coaches of all time, and best known as the head coach of t ...
from 1976 to 1979. McGriff was an interior defensive lineman for the 1978 squad that defeated Penn State in the famous “goal line stand” Sugar Bowl. He was also part of the 1979 team that repeated as undisputed national champions, punctuated by a win over Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl.
Professional career
McGriff entered the NFL and signed with the New York Giants in 1980 as a defensive lineman. He made the NFL's all-rookie team that year and was a member of the Giants' 1986-1987
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...
Championship team. McGriff was primarily used as a
defensive tackle
A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that will typically line up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the offensive guards, however he may also line up opposite one of the tackles. Defensive tackles are typically the la ...
and rotated into the game on downs when a running play was anticipated (McGriff would be rotated out of the game and a pass-rush specialist would be brought into the game on passing downs.) He played his final season (1987) with the Washington Redskins.
After football
Formerly, McGriff lived in
in the
New York metropolitan area
The New York metropolitan area, also commonly referred to as the Tri-State area, is the largest metropolitan area in the world by urban area, urban landmass, at , and one of the list of most populous metropolitan areas, most populous urban agg ...
. He was often seen at charity event such as Kidney Benefits with close friend and fellow
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
player,
Don McNeal
Donald McNeal (born May 6, 1958) is a former American professional football player who played cornerback for the Miami Dolphins in the 1980s.
McNeal was born and raised in Atmore, Alabama. He is a 1976 graduate of Escambia County (Alabama) High ...
, who played
cornerback
A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such offensive running plays as sweeps and reverses. They create tur ...
for the
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
from 1980–1989. On May 15, 2005, McGriff married his longtime girlfriend Maurie Morris. He taught at a correctional school in
Lodi, New Jersey
Lodi (; ) is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States census, the borough's population was 24,136,[Dothan, Alabama
Dothan () is a city in Dale, Henry, and Houston counties and the Houston county seat in the U.S. state of Alabama. It is Alabama's eighth-largest city, with a population of 71,072 at the 2020 census. It is near the state's southeastern corner, ...]
.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:McGriff, Curtis
1958 births
Living people
New York Giants players
Washington Redskins players
Alabama Crimson Tide football players
Players of American football from Alabama
People from Houston County, Alabama
People from Donalsonville, Georgia
Players of American football from Seminole County, Georgia