A Closer Look: Trey Griffey
Position: Wide Receiver
Experience: 1st Season
College: Arizona
Instagram Handle: @daylight_05
Who is your football mentor or inspiration?
It was definitely my dad (Ken Griffey Jr.) as far as being a mentor. But I was around a lot of athletes because of my dad, all different sports. Thurman Thomas and Rickey Watters lived down the street from us. They are guys that dominated in their sport. You don't always get that at a young age, and I am grateful I had the opportunity to be around that.
What motivates you?
Getting better. You want to get better in everything you do. You see AB (Antonio Brown) and he is at the top of his game, and he keeps working at getting better at everything. For a defensive back, that would be scary. I love watching him, the way he prepares for practice, goes about practice and finishes practice. He is the best receiver in the NFL and you get to watch him every day. I love it.
What has been the biggest challenge you've had to overcome?
There have been a lot of things. But Coach (Mike) Tomlin always tells us once you are in this building, you are here. I love that he tells you that. He tells you be here and be locked in. This team does a lot to look out for each other. If you are a young player, the veterans take you under their wing. A lot of teams don't do that. I love that. That is why the Steelers have so much success.
Why do you play football?
I love it. Everything about it. It's the one game, if you look at it from the outside in, football players might have a bad stereotype as far as being just jocks. But when you get to the NFL, it's professional. You have to be a smart individual to accomplish what you have to do. People take that for granted. It's not an easy route you have to take. You have to be in great shape. There is a lot of stress, a lot of bruises. But I love it.
What is your proudest football moment or memory?
In college I had the second longest touchdown reception. The crazy part is one of the previous players who came in, who was one of my professors my freshman year, he had a 99-yard touchdown. When I got mine over 90 yards I was excited thinking I had the record. Then I found out he had 99 yards. But being able to say I graduated from college is the biggest accomplishment. That is something I wanted to do.
When you hear Steelers football, what do you think?
Family, tradition, hard-nosed, ready to work and physical. You see our defense every day and it's scary to see the athletes. Everybody, not just the defense, but you look at the offense you have Ben (Roethlisberger) AB, Le'Veon (Bell). It's scary. You have (Maurkice) Pouncey directing everything. The great thing about it is you see these athletes at a young age, I saw Pouncey and (Marcus) Gilbert and Joe (Haden) when they were at Florida. And now I am playing with these players I saw on TV. But there is a lot of work ahead.
