| Former BGSU Falcon Diyral Briggs (right) signs autographs before the men’s basketball game at Anderson Arena Tuesday. (Photo: Aaron Carpenter/Sentinel-Tribune) |
It’s been a whirlwind of emotions for Diyral Briggs during the last six months.
The former Bowling Green Falcon was cut by both the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos during the
recently completed National Football League season.
However, he was signed by the Green Bay Packers and things dramatically changed for the better.
He now has a Super Bowl championship ring and he was featured in a two-page photo spread in "Sports
Illustrated" after helping the Packers down the Pittsburgh Steelers, 31-25 less than a month ago.
Briggs was back in Bowling Green Tuesday night signing autographs and being introduced to the crowd
during the Falcons’ men’s basketball game with Kent State.
"The more I come back and people remind me I’m a champ, the more it feels real. It still really
hasn’t sunk in yet," Briggs said.
"It’s a great feeling, but I feel like I’m still reaching for something else," he continued.
"I don’t fell like I’ve done enough. I feel like I have more to offer. So I guess you could say I’m
still hungry."
Briggs was an all-conference performer for Bowling Green, who was signed by the 49ers as a non-drafted
free agent in May 2009. He appeared in four games for San Francisco in 2009 and one this season before
being released in September.
"It started off great, just coming back to San Fran. During the off-season I worked my tail off,
learning the plays just trying to fit into the system, coming into my second year," Briggs said.
"I thought I came back very well prepared. I had a great preseason and at that time I felt I was
with San Fran.
"Going into the second game, they waived me and didn’t bring me back and I got picked up by
Denver."
Briggs was signed to Denver’s practice squad before being elevated to the active roster for one game.
"I felt like that was going to be my new home," Briggs said. "They didn’t have that many
outside linebackers … Like San Fran after a couple of weeks on the practice squad, they brought me up
for a game. Then they moved me down, it was just a numbers game."
The Packers claimed him off waivers from Denver on Oct. 26, 2010.
"I was dropping my agent off at the airport (in Denver) and he was telling me to go ahead and sign
the practice squad contract with Denver," Briggs said. "I told him, No, maybe someone will
call.
"After I dropped him off and was driving back to my apartment, he gave me a call and said – ‘You’re
a Green Bay Packer.’
When he got the opportunity to play, Briggs made a quick impression with three solo tackles against his
former team, the San Francisco 49ers. He then played in seven of Green Bay’s next eight games, mostly on
special teams.
"After I got to Green Bay, I just knew something was special with that team," Briggs said.
"The atmosphere, it just really felt like I was finally in the NFL.
"It was just a great journey and I’m very, very blessed to be a part of that team and go down in
history with that team."
In the Super Bowl, Briggs faced former BG teammate Shaun Sushiam, who is Pittsburgh’s place-kicker.
"I was on kickoff return and he was getting ready to kick it and I said ‘Sushiam’ and he looked
around and he looked up and he saw me," Briggs said. "I said ‘How are you doing man?’
"It was awesome to see Sushiam there. It was kind of special."
Briggs had no idea the picture that was being taken after the game would end up in "Sports
Illustrated."
"I saw the flashes and I saw this guy with a big camera. I don’t know, I just thought he was taking
pictures … I guess it was just my time," Briggs said with a laugh.
Briggs said he has one more year on his contract with Green Bay and he doesn’t believe there will be a
strike or a lockout in the NFL as the owners and players are currently trying to reach a new collective
bargaining agreement.
"It’s football. It’s people’s lives and it’s people’s entertainment," he said. "I honestly
feel that we’re probably not going to go into a lockout."
While the owners and players are working on the labor agreement, Briggs is preparing for next season,
learning Green Bay’s defense as he wants to be more than just a special teams performer.
"I’ve still got a lot more to show," Briggs said.
Briggs is the third former Falcon to earn a Super Bowl championship ring, joining Phil Villapiano with
Oakland from Super Bowl XI and Charlie Williams with Dallas from Super Bowl XXX.
