Our Alumni

The making of Archie: A timeline from his life

The 50th anniversary of Archie Griffin’s first Heisman brings reminders of his grand success as a Buckeyes tailback, but his life has been about much more.

By Todd Jones

September 10, 2024

Archie Griffin’s coach at Ohio State, Woody Hayes, once famously said: “He’s a better young man than he is a football player, and he’s the best football player I’ve ever seen.” Here are some of Griffin’s highlights on and off the field:

Aug. 21, 1954

Archie Mason Griffin is born in what is now Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

A young black boy tucks a football against his chest as he plays in the yard of a house with a man who is probably his dad. The photo is an old black-and-white one and the dad is reaching for the football. The boy, who is Archie Griffin, looks like he’s having fun. — University Archives

Junior high years

He and friends often walk to campus from their Linden neighborhood to play basketball with Stadium Scholarship Dorm residents and try to see football games in Ohio Stadium.

1972

In his freshman year, Griffin is one of three players randomly assigned No. 45—a number that would become synonymous with his incredible skills. In his second game, he runs for 239 yards against North Carolina, which stood as an Ohio State record for 27 years.

1973

He becomes the first sophomore to rush for more than 1,000 yards, finishing the season with 1,428 yards.

A college-age Archie Griffin kneels on The ‘Shoe’s otherwise empty football field with a Heisman trophy in front of him. He’s on one knee with his other leg forward and that foot on the ground and he’s wearing his No. 45 football uniform and helmet. His expression is low-key proud. — University Archives

Dec. 3, 1974

Wins first Heisman trophy after rushing for a career-best 1,620 yards and 12 touchdowns.

1975

Wins second Heisman, making him the only player ever to do so, after rushing for 1,357 yards. He was the first player to lead the Big Ten in rushing for three straight years and the last to do so until 2019.

Finishes his career with 5,589 career rushing yards, still an Ohio State record. Griffin led the Buckeyes to a 40-5-1 record, four Big Ten championships, four Rose Bowl trips, and no losses to Michigan (3-0-1) as a four-year starter and three-time All-American (1973, ’74, ’75).

On the football field with packed bleachers behind him is Griffin, photographed during a moment between plays in a game. He looks tired and his left wrist is taped up. — University Archives

1976

Graduates a quarter early with a bachelor’s degree in industrial relations. The NCAA honors him with the Top Five Award for combined excellence in athletics, academics and leadership.

1976-1983

Plays seven seasons in the NFL for the Cincinnati Bengals, who selected him in the first round (24^th player selected) of the draft. He then takes his first Ohio State job.

In 1981, he is inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame. In later years, he’s honored as a Top 5 player in college football history, named the Rose Bowl’s “All-Century Player,’ and enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame, the National Football Hall of Fame and the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame.

Griffin is shown running while wearing a Cincinnati Bengals uniform, including helmet. — Courtesy of Archie Griffin

1985

The Department of Athletics hires him, and for the next 20 years, he’s promoted into the roles of assistant director of athletics for external affairs (1987) and associate director of athletics for Olympic sports (1994), where he oversees half of the university’s sports programs.

1999

Ohio State retires No. 45. He’s the first player so honored by the university.

2002

Establishes the Archie Griffin Scholarship Fund to aid undergraduates in Olympic Sports.

In a three-piece suit, Griffin stands behind a lectern with two microphones. Behind him is a giant banner that says “Ohio State University Alumni Association.” He’s smiling while he listens to someone off camera talking or asking a question. — Photo by Kevin Fitzsimons

2004-2015

Leads The Ohio State University Alumni Association as president and CEO.

In 2010, the Big Ten Championship Game MVP award is named after Griffin and Illinois great Red Grange by the conference.

In 2015, he presents the spring commencement to a graduating class that includes Adam Griffin, one of his three sons.

2018

With his wife, starts the Archie and Bonita Griffin Master of Sport Coaching Scholarship, for College of Education and Human students pursuing a Sport Coaching degree.

Griffin is all grins as he stands with an arm around his wife, Bonita. She’s a pretty black woman in a black dress and long necklace. He’s wearing a suit and tie and has a neatly trimmed mustache. — Courtesy of Archie Griffin

2020

Retires from university work after serving as a special advisor in the office of advancement. ESPN names him one of the Top 5 greatest players in college football history based on voting of 150 former coaches, players, administrators and media.

2024

Statues of Griffin are placed outside the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California, and near Ohio Stadium. He dots the “i” when the Ohio State marching band performs Script Ohio at halftime of the season-opening game against Akron. Tuttle Park Place, the road east of the ’Shoe, is given the honorary name “Archie Griffin Drive.”

Author

Todd Jones

Todd Jones is a senior writer for Ohio State Alumni Magazine. He spent three decades as a newspaper reporter, including 20 years at The Columbus Dispatch. You can usually find him with his face in a book or taking long, old-man walks through nature.

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