Don Griffin Madden Career 1992-1997 - Peak 90 OVR

Don Griffin was a sixth-round pick out of Middle Tennessee State in 1986, just the small-school corner who starts for years without ever making a Pro Bowl. He started right away for San Francisco, opposite more celebrated teammates, and won rings in Super Bowls XXIII and XXIV as a quick, steady cover man on a dominant defense.

Madden actually liked him early. Griffin opened at an 86 for the 1991 season, one of the higher marks on the roster, then eased down to a 79 and a 72 as he aged. His best card, a 90, came for the 1994 season in Madden NFL '95, by which point he had signed with Cleveland, and the number fell off a cliff to a 45 by the time he finished up in Philadelphia. The grade told the story of a good player working down the far side of a long career.

Griffin played eleven seasons, for the 49ers, Browns and Eagles, and finished with 25 interceptions over 161 games. He never earned the individual honors, but he started on two champions and covered whoever he was pointed at for a decade. The game rated him fairly, high in his prime and honest about the decline, which is about all a role player can ask of it.