Robert Griffith Robert Otis " Griff " Griffith ( born November 30 , 1970 in Lanham , Maryland ) is a former American football strong safety in the National Football League . He played thirteen seasons in the league , mostly for the Minnesota Vikings from 1994 to 2001 . He also played three seasons with the Cleveland Browns , and two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals , In 2008 he retired as a member of the Minnesota Vikings . Robert also served as an Executive Member of the NFLPA ( National Football League Player ' s Association ) for six years . Currently he is CEO and Chairman of Matador Enterprises Inc . , owner of Nico ' s Steakhouse in Chula Vista , California , and Director of Pro Personnel for the UFL ( United Football League ) Sacramento Mountain Lions . High school and college . Griffith played high school football and track at Mount Miguel High School in Spring Valley , California ( near San Diego ) where he earned All - CIF honors . Griffith played college football at San Diego State University where one of his teammates was future St Louis Rams running back Marshall Faulk . He walked on to the SDSU football team as an undersized cornerback , but quickly became an indispensable member of the team . He started 3 seasons and was the heralded defensive team captain . He was a second - team All - WAC selection in 1992 . Robert also earned is Electrical Engineering degree in 1994 . After going undrafted in the 1994 NFL Draft , Griffith signed with the Vikings as a undrafted free agent . NFL and pro football career . After college , Robert had a brief stint in the Canadian Football League playing for the Goldminers . Soon after , Robert had the opportunity to play in the NFL and joined the Minnesota Vikings . In his first two seasons , he was mostly used as a backup and as a special teams player before having a breakthrough year in the 1996 season . That season he made four interception s for 66 yards , and made 96 tackles . He was named All - Pro by " Pro Football Weekly " , and was second team Associated Press All - Pro in the 1998 season after having a career high of five interceptions , finishing fifth in the NFC . He made the Pro Bowl after the 1999 season after starting in all sixteen games , making three interception and 129 tackles . Robert broke their long - standing special team record for 29 tackles . After eight seasons with the Vikings , Griffth signed a free agent contract with the Browns during the 2002 offseason , where he became one of the most experienced members in a young defense . He started in 44 games with the Browns earning six interceptions and 408 tackles in his three seasons . He led them in tackles with 157 in the 2004 season . He was released on February 27 , 2005 by then recently - hired head coach , Romeo Crennel , who was trying to rebuild the franchise following a 4 - 12 season . He then signed a two year contract with the Cardinals , where he started his last season and was active in all sixteen games , making 66 tackles and one interception for eleven yards . On March 2 , 2007 , he was cut by the Cardinals . In 2008 he signed a contract to retire as a member of the Minnesota Vikings . Robert was also a three - time All - Madden Selection , earned the 1999 Ed Block Courage and NFLPA Unsung Hero Award s , Byron “ Whizzer ” White Award , NFL Special Effort Awards and the 2000 Minnesota Man of the Year Award . Griffith has modeled for Bad Boy clothing in an ad that appeared in " Rolling Stone " , " Vibe " and " The Source " magazines and appeared in " Sports Illustrated for Women " 2000 Swimsuit Issue . Griffith began the Robert Griffith Foundation during the 1998 offseason which provides college scholarships for at risk and disadvantaged youth in San Diego . Griffith also co - hosts on Laslavic ' s weekly show called " Football Night in San Diego " on San Diego ' s NBC Channel 7 with former NFL Linebacker Akbar Gbaja - Biamila and Jim Laslavic Philanthropy . In 1998 , he founded the Robert Griffith Foundation , a highly successful program which provided college scholarships to underprivileged high school seniors . Effectively to date the foundation has sponsored 26 graduates from colleges across the US including West Point , Xavier , University of Michigan and Stanford to name a few . To continue the success of this project , Griffith also initiated the Viking Challenge which targets k - 6th graders and challenges them in five core areas of success : responsibility , non - violence , academic improvement , drug and alcohol abstinence . Each participating student signs a contract to commit to improving in these areas and , if accomplished , receives recognition and is awarded admission to a Viking Home Game . To this day , the program has been highly beneficial to the schools , children and community with clearly positive results . Personal life . Today , Robert resides in Rancho Santa Fe , California . An avid Cyclist , Robert also engages in the martial art form tae kwan do . He is also well - traveled and has spent much time in the Americas and Europe for both business and pleasure .