The CRAZY GAME That SAVED Archie Griffin's NFL CAREER | Falcons @ Bengals (1978)

Prior to a 1978 NFL game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons, Bengals running back and former Ohio State player and Heisman winner Archie Griffin was furious with his lack of playing time and with his role on the team, to the point where he was about to request a trade. But after a bizarre roster switch at the last second, everything changed, and his career was saved. This is the story behind that game
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#nfl #bengals #nflthrowback #cincinnatibengals #falcons #atlantafalcons #football #sports #highlights
Members of the 1978 Bengals:
Chris Bahr
John Reaves
Ken Riley
Ken Anderson
Rob Hertel
Melvin Morgan
Deacon Turner
Marvin Cobb
Tony Davis
Dick Jauron
Scott Perry
Louis Breeden
Lenvil Elliott
Boobie Clark
Ray Griffin
Archie Griffin
Pete Johnson
Glenn Cameron
Tom Ruud
Chris Devlin
Tom Dinkel
Bo Harris
Bob Johnson
Jim LeClair
Tom DePaso
Reggie Williams
Blair Bush
Ron Shumon
Ray Phillips
Dave Lapham
Mark Donahue
Gary Burley
Dave Pureifory
Rufus Mayes
Ron Hunt
Eddie Edwards
Glenn Bujnoch
Wilson Whitley
Vern Holland
Mike Wilson
Ted Vincent
Ross Browner
Jim Corbett
Billy Brooks
Dennis Law
Don Bass
Isaac Curtis
Pat McInally
Rick Walker
Homer Rice (head coach)
Paul Brown (owner)

[@OfficialJaguarGator9]

Note: There is an Easter egg hidden somewhere in this video that some viewers of the channel might be able to catch. If you think you spotted it, let me know in the comments below!

[@CTubeMan]

Audio, visual, or both?

[@OfficialJaguarGator9]

Visual. If you watch the streams, you might be able to pick it up

[@CTubeMan]

Only thing I saw was your correction about Griffin having 31 straight 1,000 yard games.

[@TheManWithThePlan360]

> 1978 > Bengals I think I may be onto something... 😎

[@OfficialJaguarGator9]

The brown bar. You got it

[@TS-ef2gv]

I met Archie a few times over the years at various events. He always has the time to talk to fans and in my experience he treats everyone like he knows them personally. He's so humble and such a great role model.

[@brianarbenz1329]

Archie was also a fine person. I worked my first newspaper reporting job for an editor who had attended Ohio State U with Griffin and served as a student manager of the team. He said everyone loved Archie Griffin. No nicer person existed.

[@Toddytoad7]

Is and always!

[@mike3376]

It’s true

[@gothard5]

Paul Brown not choosing Bill Walsh to be his successor at head coach is still THE biggest blunder in Bengals history. Thoroughly enjoyed watching the Bengals playoff run. I hate that they lost, but I am happy that I got to watch them play in the Super Bowl at least once in my lifetime. The first one was before I was born and the second one, I was 5 years old and, obviously, have no memories of. I am 100% confident that Burrow will lead them back to the Super Bowl. Who Dey!!!

[@denisceballos9745]

I always liked Archie Griffin (45) and rooted for him to do well in Cincinnati. He was always a pro and a good team player even with all the awards and attention coming out of college. Good juke moves and good speed as seen in these clips. Didn’t fumble as much as Tony Dorsett.

[@sebclot9478]

31 consecutive games over 1,000 yards? He really was the best college player of all time!!!! LOL.......

[@buckeyetater7540]

You knew what he meant.

[@sebclot9478]

@@buckeyetater7540 Well, yes. But what fun would that be? Gotta roll with the amusement value when the opportunity arises. I'm sure he would be laughing right along with us.

[@derekbrown2215]

Playing the Falcons helps turn around many careers.

[@pikachuhutch234]

Until 28-3

[@dc1397]

That pass was unbelievable.

[@INJURYCOMP]

My personal opinion about Archie Griffin's Football Career is: He was, rightfully so, a tailback in College. When he got to the pros he should have been switched to a slot back receiver. I believe he would have had a prolific career - something like Hines Ward. Ward was a QB and tailback in College.

[@johnmanier7968]

Despite winning 2 Heismans, Griffin was not expected to have a spectacular NFL career. He might not have gone in the 1st round of the draft if the home-state Bengals hadn't needed a running back. It was already fairly common for Heisman winners to have mediocre NFL careers. As you note, Griffin ended up with a respectable NFL career--neither a "bust" nor worthy of a bust in Canton.

[@eugenedenbrook322]

Didn't help his legacy, that TD took the Heisman in 76' with a legendary season for the Nat'l Champs; then, he lit up the NFL with Dallas, ending up with a Ring and a bronze bust.

[@jerryvan-hees7130]

@@eugenedenbrook322 who ended up with Dallas not Archie.

[@middlefinger1565]

@@eugenedenbrook322 You must be thinking of Tony Dorsett.

[@davidmilton5887]

At OSU he was 10 yards downfield before he met a defender on most occasions.

[@itz-luigi1210]

I noticed that as well.

[@kyledamron]

Looks like resting him all those other games sure helped. Is this Falcons defense still the gritz blitz? If it is I am not shocked they got blown out by Ken Anderson, I'm not sure if he was using the west coast offense but if he was then I'm really not shocked, the quick passes are what beats that kind of defense

[@wpjohnston0213]

Love your videos but SPECIFICALLY got on here to say "Arrrrrrchie" (que Mrs. Bunker)

[@merchantsmithimages]

Archie Griffin reached the Super Bowl in 1981-82. I'm not sure why that wasn't mentioned.

[@kyledamron]

I'm am not a Bengals fan (I am a Raiders fan), but Ken Anderson needs to be in the HOF, sure there was a lot of losing, but if you just look at his play on the field and how he ran the original "west coast offense" it seems to me he should be.

[@edpinkerton7947]

Archie Griffin was one of the greatest college players of all time. Doesn’t always equal a great pro career take nothing away from the man.

[@urbanleftbehind]

You can get wore out as a multi-year collegiate starter like Ron Dayne and Cedric Benson. Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders more or less alternated big yardage seasons - TT in 85 and 87 and BS in 86 and 88 at Ok State...unplanned load management.

[@nickdobson1959]

@@urbanleftbehind true that is a great point

[@Davepool-hs7vr]

@@urbanleftbehind Ron Dayne did not run through the hole hard in short yardage like he supposed to

[@dustinsindledecker154]

I wish the Bengals would go back to use the old helmets for at least one game they weren't that bad.

[@stevenbauer4799]

@@matthewdaley746 Yep. paul brown written all over that one. Wanted to copy brown's orange helmet as a #k you to modell. At least they changed their 'stripes' in time to make s b xvi.

[@stevenbauer4799]

mike brown too cheap to do that one. He needs cash to sign a few ol.

[@stevenbauer4799]

@@matthewdaley746 yes it did. Went from last to the s b.

[@eugenedenbrook322]

For one game, absolutely. But their normal helms and unis are awesome

[@stevenbauer4799]

@@eugenedenbrook322 Better when they took the white up the side off of the black jersey and took the orange font off of the white jersey.

[@itz-luigi1210]

Every highlight of Archie, he is 15 yards down field when the first opposing teams jersey appears. Billy Sims was robbed of a second Heisman.

[@counterpuncher01]

Great show....making a bigger fool of Paul Brown in this case for hiring Bill Johnson. What would BILL WALSH had done with kenny Anderson and Archie Griffith.

[@gluserty]

Ha ha, 1,000 yards a game; Chris Berman made a similar slip when once speaking of Barry Sanders in 1997 (consecutive 1,000 yard seasons, he said; during the correction, he then stated that he gets so excited watching Barry Sanders that he just wants to give him all kinds of numbers, a comment I find most funny).

[@matthewjansen3297]

How is Homer Rice not in the NFL HOF? He was awesome.

[@buckeyetater7540]

Woody Hayes said about Archie. “He is a better man than he is a football player” and “He’s the best damn football player I’ve ever seen” I am a Buckeye Fan and Archie Griffin will ALWAYS BE our greatest Buckeye.

[@Atomykpimp]

Well said! I remember hearing that! I agree. He is the greatest Buckeye EVER!!

[@middlefinger1565]

Fans/alums of TTUN will NEVER appreciate neither Woody NOR Archie. They still refer to Woody as a "scumbag."

[@stevearchtoe7039]

Ron Dayne says hi

[@zigwald]

and he played in a super bowl........

[@peacefrog0521]

Bad guess #1 on the Easter egg: at 4:12 he states how Griffin didn’t score a TD in the 1977 season, while the clip is of Griffin scoring a TD.

[@middlefinger1565]

Preseason exhibilition scrimmages do NOT count.

[@carspiv]

Griffin had every reason to be furious with the way he was used. He was underused and was stuck on some putrid teams. He deserved better. He could and would have been a feature back on most teams and they’d have been lucky to have him.

[@samright4661]

Hershel was by far the better back

[@donaldpaluga]

@@matthewdaley746 FAKE NEWS!-New Jersey Generals owner Donald Trump

[@norms3913]

Aint no way earl Campbell was better when he played for the Houston Oilers

[@samright4661]

@@norms3913 Hershel was Faster and Better get over it

[@fcruz43215]

He could've done so much more with the right team.

[@norms3913]

Damn Maurice clarett almost clipped griffins college record till he got in trouble with that armed robbery charge

[@TS-ef2gv]

MoC could have/would have been a Heisman winner if he had stayed healthy and out of trouble. What a waste of talent.

[@cosmo_lewis]

Where do you find all this film ? It's incredible

[@1USACitizen192]

Amazing that he rushed for over 1,000 yards for 31 straight games.

[@merchantsmithimages]

What???

[@TS-ef2gv]

You meant over 100 yards per game, obviously. And he rarely played past the middle of the 3rd quarter.

[@donaldpaluga]

1000 yards for the season, not a game. That would be a record-UNLV QB Kenny Mayne

[@anthony0358]

I just looked at his stats. I remember him very well. He played from 1976 to 1982, he never rushed for more than 700 yards in one season , his rush yards declined each year from 1979 to 1982. He was out of football at age 28. I remember as a boy learning to understand that great college players do not make great pro players. Excellent point about him taking so much punishment in college

[@stevenbauer4799]

Or you could go play for bum phillips and have the s#it run out of you like earl campbell did. Dude was done-had nothing left-after year five thanks to bum running him 35 times a game and over 400 carries a season.

[@stevenbauer4799]

@@matthewdaley746 yep. big earl 'i'll just run you over'.

[@stevenbauer4799]

@@matthewdaley746 poor earl is a cripple now. too sad.

[@KamuiCage]

It wasnt that Griffin wasnt a good player they refused to play him. He never had more than 140 carries in a season. 34 RBs had more carries in 2021 and its a passing league now

[@stevenbauer4799]

@@KamuiCage yes that is true. but he had a lot of carries at Tosu and couldn't take that kind of pounding in the nfl. bengals were trying to preserve him.

[@Mottleydude1]

Archie was just flat out drafted by the wrong team. No RB at Cincinnati was going to get more than 20 carry’s a game. They used them to set up the short to intermediate passing game and for ball control. Homer Rice’s decision to essentially bench Griffin was a fiasco and played no small part in his firing. Archie was highly respected by his teammates and they were just as baffled as everyone else on why Archie wasn’t being used as he always performed at a high level during practice.

[@scottconner7930]

44 Years Ago

[@ianmiles8635]

As a kid growing up in the 1980s I couldn't understand how a former Heisman trophy winner could be used so infrequently, even playing with Charles Alexander and Pete Johnson.

[@mattmills5145]

Ahhh the Falcons of the seventies, seems lots of people saved their careers playing the Falcons.

[@robertbritton7556]

Thanks for the show 🇺🇸 Go Brown's 🇺🇸 and Baker 🇺🇸 Go Buckeyes 🇺🇸 God bless America and the world 🇺🇸 And our Veterans 🇺🇸 Donate to the show 🇺🇸

[@mamaluigi2064]

You should do a dedicated video on AstroTurf You can't talk about vintage football without talking about it's infamous playing surface

[@norms3913]

That astroturf ruined many players knees over the years

[@mireyajones810]

Anthony Davis should have won the Heisman in 1974. Many voters submitted their ballot PRIOR to the USC-ND game!

[@brianarbenz1329]

When Archie and Anthony faced off in the Rose Bowl, USC won, although with neither of these Heisman contenders having a great game. That was vindication for Anthony Davis.

[@goodsport65]

So was Archie Griffin was on the Bengals' Super Bowl roster v. San Francisco?

[@RoyOrbisonsElvisTape]

yes, 1 rush for 4 yards, 0 receptions.

[@middlefinger1565]

@@RoyOrbisonsElvisTape At least he got to play in a SB game. Not even Barry Sanders can say he did that.

[@CTubeMan]

If the Bengals promoted Bill Walsh to head coach before the 1976 season do you think the Bengals would have still drafted Archie Griffin? If so, how do you think his career would have gone? This unofficial Official Jaguar Gator 9 historian will remind everyone you made a video about another shocking Bengals blowout the next year over the Steelers.

[@eugenedenbrook322]

That's a very good question. I think, based on later trends, Walsh would've preferred a more versatile back; Roger Craig was technically a FB most of his career, and clearly excelled running and receiving.

[@tbird33mojolane]

Archie would've been better in a Walsh offense. Ken Anderson said that he had great hands. Archie put up good numbers in receiving. He was used as a wideout more than a RB in his last two seasons www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GrifAr00.htm

[@natturnertv]

The Bengals would have drafted him because Paul Brown said so. He was the scouting department for the team. And Griffin could catch. Walsh would have benefitted from having Griffin.

[@sampiHBK00]

How did he fall to 24th pick in the draft???

[@mrg8581]

Because 23 teams knew Griffin wouldn't be that good in the NFL 😃

[@barakjudah2099]

My history's a lil Hazy ! How is Archie Griffin's # 45 retired at Ohio State when the Big Kitten Andy Katzenmoyer wore the same # when he played MLB at Ohio State ? He(Katzenmoyer) mighta benefited from another year at Ohio State since he had Such a sub par performance and career in the NFL if he wasn't so Dumb in the classroom .

[@OfficialJaguarGator9]

The number got retired in 1999. Katzenmoyer was the last guy to wear it

[@middlefinger1565]

Archie already knew Katz...so he gave him his blessing to wear #45. And Katz was a bust in the NFL.

[@chadwickwhite6107]

WOW YET ANOTHER video about 2 teams who are less than a 39.6. They should SPIKE football into the ground on EVERY single OFFENSIVE play!!!!

[@MichaelPiz]

Text @ 2:18 - You're underestimating Archie.

[@drummer083]

Ricky Bell got robbed in '75. It was an injustice.

[@smartluck100]

We’re worried about playing the Falcons, said no team EVER

[@patrickstogsdill74]

That Bengals look looks a lot like the browns

[@yuriburkel686]

If Archie had gone to somebody like the Dolphins, Cowboys, or Steelers. He probably would have more success

[@middlefinger1565]

They ALL had a reliable runningback.

[@stevenbauer4799]

gator showed every Tosu passing play of archie's four year career in first four minutes.

[@chrisrobinson8339]

Running backs should never play four seasons of football in college.

[@mikevanriel7573]

Depends on the Running Back.

[@eugenedenbrook322]

@@mikevanriel7573 Maybe a back who catches passes more often, and doesn't always carry 20 plus times? Or just be Walter Payton 🙂

[@NeverUkraine]

Tony Dorsett broke the record the very next season, and was clearly the better player in college & pros

[@ronsmac]

Dorsett was better the year Griffin won his 2nd heisman

[@stantheman9072]

Wait! Archie Griffin had a career in football? Did I miss something? I guess I did.

[@mireyajones810]

In these highlights, I do not see AG breaking tackles or making people miss.

[@TS-ef2gv]

You must be joking 😆

[@kyledamron]

A lethargic offense is just not what I think of from a Ken Anderson lead Bengals offense, but those stats are not good

[@craighouse1279]

Ahh, wonderful. Real football played by real humans.

[@markoakes8620]

Archie is an Ohio kid.

[@dwayneherd6123]

Biggest bust of all time

[@barakjudah2099]

Is it just me or does Eddie George have the Best career and Sucess in the NFL,out of All of the running backs to Ever come out of Ohio State ? And please don't anybody say Zeke Elliot,because he hasnt been the Same Zeke and has been Very sub par as of late .

[@IANupe104]

Archie Griffin has never been the considered the Best College football player outside of 1970's Columbus Ohio. Those two Heismans could have EASILY went to Anthony Davis (1974) and Rickey Bell, in 1975 (RIP) both from USC.

[@markbrian7179]

Archie didn't play on a run-oriented team.

[@stevenbauer4799]

Archie may have been a Tosu star and back to back heisman winner but he was too small for the nfl. No woody hayes/ground chuck/bum phillips run type of offense for him in nfl. And isn't '78 the year of the gritz blitz and the hail mary big ben rights that bartkowski lucky falcons used to win the nfc west that season? I believe the only season rams didn't win the west in the '70's. Also boobie clark was on '78 bengals.

[@joboots007]

It was 1980 in which the Falcons won their 1st division title,BTW…..’78 is when they got their 1st playoff spot!!!!!

[@stevenbauer4799]

@@joboots007 ok. Lost to boys in the '78 playoffs as w c.

[@eugenedenbrook322]

I think the Niners won their division once, 71' or 72'? I could be wrong. But yeesh, winning like 9 division titles in 10 years? Most of the 6 divisions were dominated by one team in the 70s; but I don't think any other squad won as often as LA.

[@stevenbauer4799]

@@eugenedenbrook322 yep. They played the boys in back to back playoffs. I believe sf was a wc both times. In the 70's you could chalk up the phins, steelers, raiders, cowboys, vikes, and rams as division winner every season. And rams with all of those div. titles only made the s b one time, the last one of the '70's. Every s b of the '70's featured at least one of those six teams in it. Every conf title game had at least two of them play each other. With rams/tb in '79 and den/raiders in '77 the lone exception.

[@rocknroll7316]

I still consider him a bust along with fellow Heisman winners such as Charles White John Cappeletti and Johnny Manziel

[@okolo22000]

2:17 It’s 100 not 1,000 yards; just a minor clerical error.

[@Ynkno]

someone said: "he won it twice when he shouldn't have won it once!"

[@carseye1219]

The TEAM completed a little over 100 passes as a two-year total during those Heisman years. Archie HAD to get those 100 yards a game or Ohio State doesn't win any games! Every team they played took it as a quest to stop Archie from getting those yards, but he did anyway. None of the Heisman candidates those years had that kind of pressure. He couldn't even practice in '75 because he was so beat up. That turf those years was like painted concrete! I think there's a bigger case for him winning 3 Heismans (he had a phenomenal sophomore year) than there is him not deserving the two he won. Whoever made that statement KNOWS NOTHING about that era!

[@buckeyetater7540]

That’s why he is Archie Griffin and your guy’s name is Someone.

[@WTMNNJR]

I wish they could bring it back but make it safer. It just looks so nice.

[@ronsmac]

I think Ricky Bell and Tony Dorsett were better in 1975

[@carseye1219]

Disagree. Both Dorsett and Bell played on teams with QB's that went on to the NFL. Archie's OSU teams completed a little over 100 passes as a TWO-YEAR TOTAL in his Heisman years. Every team that played Ohio St had a mission to break his 100 yd streak, but still couldn't stop him. He WAS the offense! He was so beat up in '75 he couldn't even practice. That Ohio Stadium turf was like concrete. He richly deserved the '75 Heisman.

[@ronsmac]

@@carseye1219 since we want to go there. In 1975 pitt avg 100 yds passing ohio st 90. Pete johnson had 1000 yds rushing and cornelius wqs a great runner with another 500 They were a good triple threat team that’s what made Ohio st so tough back then.

[@carseye1219]

@@ronsmac I still say, being the rare reigning Heisman winner in that era, he had a huge target on his back. Archie deserved that trophy.

[@ronsmac]

@@carseye1219 👍🏻