Greg Briggs

Greg Briggs (born October 19, 1968) is a former American football safety in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings. He first enrolled at Copiah-Lincoln Community College before transferring to the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Texas Southern University. He was also a member of the Cleveland Browns, Frankfurt Galaxy and Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Greg Briggs
No. 43, 54
Position:Safety / Linebacker
Personal information
Born: (1968-10-19) October 19, 1968
Meadville, Mississippi
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:214 lb (97 kg)
Career information
High school:Franklin
(Meadville, Mississippi)
College:Texas Southern
NFL Draft:1992 / Round: 5 / Pick: 120
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:39
Player stats at NFL.com
Player stats at PFR

Early years

Briggs attended Franklin High School in Meadville, Mississippi, where he focused on playing basketball. As a senior, he received All-district honors. He also practiced track.

He accepted a basketball scholarship from Copiah-Lincoln Community College and decided to try out for the football team in his third year there. In 1989, he started all of the games at safety, compiling 6 interceptions, while receiving All-JUCO and All-state honors.

In 1990, he received a basketball scholarship from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, but the football coaching staff convinced him into changing sports. He played in the first two contests before being declared ineligible because of a class conflict. At the end of the season, the football program was suspended for 1991 by the NAIA, paving the way for Briggs and six of his teammates to walk-on at Texas Southern University, where the coach said he'd have to sleep on the floor because he didn't have an extra dorm room available.

He was a teammate of Michael Strahan and began playing mostly in the nickel defense and on special teams. He became a starter at outside linebacker after the fourth game of the season, when one player went down with an injury. He also combined the responsibilities of a safety and received All-SWAC honors after making 42 tackles, 3 passes defensed, 2 sacks, one fumble recovery, one interception and one blocked kick as a senior.

Professional career

Dallas Cowboys

Briggs was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the fifth round (120th) of the 1992 NFL Draft, after impressing in the NFL Combine. He was tried at safety, before focusing on playing linebacker. He was placed on the physically unable to perform list on August 25, with an injury to his right hip. That season the team won Super Bowl XXVII.[1] In 1993, he was switched to tight end and was waived on August 24.

Cleveland Browns

On December 15, 1993, he was signed to the Cleveland Browns practice squad.[2] He was waived on July 21, 1994.[3]

Frankfurt Galaxy

After being out of football for a year, he played for the Frankfurt Galaxy of the World League of American Football in 1995, where he led his team in tackles and won World Bowl '95.[1]

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

On July 20, 1995, he signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League, but didn't make the team.

Dallas Cowboys

Briggs was signed as a free agent by the Dallas Cowboys in 1995. After being released on August 27,[4] he was re-signed on September 20 and played in 11 games, registering 9 special teams tackles. He was a part of the Super Bowl XXX winning team and wasn't re-signed after the season.[1]

Chicago Bears

On June 7, 1996 season, he was signed by the Chicago Bears to play linebacker, reuniting with head coach and former Cowboys defensive coordinator Dave Wannstedt.[5] He was waived on October 1, but was later re-signed.[6]

Minnesota Vikings

Briggs was a member of the Minnesota Vikings from 1997 to 1998, as a linebacker that was focused on playing special teams. He was re-signed on January 5, 1999, but was released before the start of the season.

Personal life

After retiring from professional football, he traveled with Reggie White and spoke at churches. His nephew Diyral Briggs also played in the National Football League.

References
  1. Sudhalter, Michael (March 19, 2011). "Two-Time Super Bowl Champion to speak at King of Houston Football Combine". yourhoustonnews.com. Archived from the original on February 13, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  2. "Transactions". Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  3. "Browns drop three". Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  4. "Cowboys cut Richardson; Smith at impasse". Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  5. "For Bears, win good, bad, ugly". Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  6. "Transactions". Retrieved April 30, 2017.
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