Ryan Griffin famously helped keep Tom Brady upright after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ championship boat parade. Perhaps the backup quarterback will have more expanded duties in 2021.
The Buccaneers announced Tuesday that they re-signed Griffin, giving Brady some company in the QB room.
Tampa didn’t have a quarterback under contract outside of Brady until inking Griffin. Last year’s backup, Blaine Gabbert, remains a free agent.
If Griffin makes the final roster, it will mark his seventh season with the Bucs after being claimed off waivers from New Orleans in 2015. The 31-year-old has been chiefly a preseason player, having thrown just four NFL passes in his career, all coming in 2019.
Having spent years in Tampa, Griffin is experienced in Byron Leftwich’s and Bruce Arians’ system. Given Brady’s durability, the Bucs could be comfortable with Griffin as the lone veteran backup this season after rolling with two during the pandemic last year.
Re-signing Griffin shouldn’t preclude the Bucs from potentially adding a rookie signal-caller at some point during the 2021 NFL Draft if that’s how GM Jason Licht’s draft board falls. In the meantime, at least TB12 has a familiar teammate with whom to share the QB room — one the G.O.A.T. knows will help keep him upright after a Lombardi-hoisting celebration.