Archie Griffin

Archie Griffin was born on August 21, 1954, to James Griffin and Margaret Monroe Griffin in Columbus, Ohio. The middle brother in a family of seven boys,

Archie Griffin

Archie was surrounded by natural athletes—each of his brothers would play college football, and three would play in the NFL.

Griffin's father worked long and hard to support his family, knowing that the best he could do for his children was to give them a chance at a good education. At one point, he worked three jobs, balancing his days between driving a sanitation truck, cleaning a school and then working in a steel foundry at night.

Growing up, Archie Griffin was short and somewhat overweight, thus earning him the nicknames "Tank" and "Butterball" among his peers. When he began Eastmoor High in Columbus, his football coach didn't see him as the fullback he would eventually become, and he rarely touched the ball until the regular Eastmoor fullback didn't show up. Archie, a freshman, took over for the missing player, and after an impressive performance, never played another game as a lineman.

Realizing he would need to change physically to be a success at fullback, Archie hit the weight room to strengthen his upper body—the constant pulling and pounding a running back took demanded a stronger upper body than Archie had.

Though he would run track and wrestle, the football field was where his hard work and natural talent combined to propel him to greatness. Griffin remained the starting halfback at Eastmoor High School for the next three years, earning all-district honors as a junior, and being honored as a member of the All-State Team after leading them to the City Championship in 1972 (his senior year). Archie duplicated his on-field successes in the classroom, as well. He was an outstanding student.