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The Texans took Ryan Griffin, a tight end from the University of Connecticut, in the sixth round of the 2013 Draft. Griffin, a 23-year old originally from Londonderry, New Hampshire is third on the tight end depth chart behind Owen Daniels and Garrett Graham. Earlier this week, he shared with HoustonTexans.com about a few things heading into Week 1 of the regular season.*
I couldn't ask for a better situation, being behind Owen and Garrett. I'm just learning from them, but at the same time, I've got to be ready to go in and perform if someone goes down. I'm in a great spot to learn and get better.
I've noticed a big difference between a preseason game week and a regular season game week. In terms of speed of the game, just how clean everything is, everybody is where they're supposed to be. We do a good job of going full speed in practice. It's really helped me prepare for game snaps out there. I'm sure just like it goes from practice speed to game speed, it's going to go from preseason speed to when all the ones are out there. I feel like I'm prepared for it and ready to go.
You have to take a lot of information you just learned. I walked in the building today, and I didn't know the gameplan, and two-and-a-half hours later you have to go out there and perform it at the highest level. That's probably the most challenging part of this whole game.
A few times during the preseason and during practice I've been on the field with the first-team offense. That's why I came here: to get reps with the ones. If they need me to be that third tight end, or extra wideout, whatever it may be. I'll be there. It's always good when you get reps with the ones, whether it's in practice or in the game.
I'm excited about Monday Night Football and the Chargers game. I always have great support from my family back home. My mom, dad and girlfriend are going to come out to the game. I'm playing my old teammate in Kendall Reyes. He's from New Hampshire as well. He'll have a contingent of friends and family there too. I'm just excited to get this season started and get this first W.
I found out after we beat the Cowboys that I set a Texans' record for receptions during the preseason. That's pretty cool. I learned about it after the game. I'm happy. It means I'm getting a lot of snaps, which is a good thing in the preseason. The record doesn't really mean anything, but it's still cool to have my name down there somewhere.
The rookies have been living in a hotel for training camp and the preseason, and over the last week, we just moved out. I finally got around to getting a place, which is the first time in my life that I've ever had a place by myself. I got my own car now. So I grew up overnight, I guess I would say. It feels great.
I did some car 'window-shopping' after OTA's, but it all happened kind of quickly. But my agent prepared me for that. That's just the life of a rookie, I guess.
I went with a new 2013 Dodge Charger. With the hemi in there. My place isn't too far away from Reliant Stadium, so I can afford the gas. It's a 'beaut: a black-on-black domestic beauty. I'm happy.
In college we couldn't really have a job, so I didn't really have a steady income, like a lot of college kids. It feels good to get some equity in something and have some assets.
My first car ever was a 2002 police interceptor! I got it off a police auction. It was just a Crown Victoria without the console. Nothing in it because they took all the radios out. It had the push bumper on it. When my friends would have parties in high school, I used to roll up and shine the light on the windows and everybody would go running. I trashed that thing. It was a good first car, for sure.
