Curtis McGriff (born May 17, 1958) is an American former professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

player who was a

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 (OL), while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line (D ...

in the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

(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 of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...

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 of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...

. He played

college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...

for the

Alabama Crimson Tide The Alabama Crimson Tide refers to the college athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletic varsity teams that represent the University of Alabama, located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide teams compete in the Na ...

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. ...

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 p ...

graduating in 1976. He played

at the

University of Alabama The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama, UA, the Capstone, or Bama) is a Public university, public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of ...

Tuscaloosa, Alabama Tuscaloosa ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, Tuscaloosa County in west-central Alabama, United States, on the Black Warrior River where the Gulf Coastal Plain, Gulf Coastal and Piedmont (United States), Piedm ...

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 ...

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 History of the NFL championship, league championship game of the National Football League (NFL) of the United States. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966 NFL season, 1966 (with the excep ...

Championship team. McGriff was primarily used as a

defensive tackle A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that typically lines up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the Guard (American football), offensive guards; however, he may also line up opposite one of the offensive Tackle (gridir ...

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

Hackensack, New Jersey Hackensack is the most populous municipality in and the county seat of Bergen County, New Jersey, Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

in the

New York metropolitan area The New York metropolitan area, also called the Tri-State area and sometimes referred to as Greater New York, is the List of cities by GDP, largest metropolitan economy in the world, with a List of U.S. metropolitan areas by GDP, gross metropo ...

. He was often seen at charity event such as Kidney Benefits with close friend and fellow

Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...

player,

Don McNeal Donald McNeal (born May 6, 1958) is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL) in the 1980s. McNeal was born and raised in Atmore, Alabama. He is a 1976 gra ...

, who played

cornerback A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover Wide receiver, receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such Play from scrimmage, offensive running plays as sweep ...

for the

Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Dolphins compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team ...

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 (New Jersey), borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 26,207, an increase of 2,070 (+8.6%) from the 2010 United States census, 2010 census coun ...

. Mr. McGriff now lives in

Dothan, Alabama Dothan is a city in and the county seat of Houston County, Alabama, Houston County in the U.S. state of Alabama. A slight portion of the city extends into Dale County, Alabama, Dale and Henry County, Alabama, Henry counties. It had a population ...

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