CINCINNATI — If you're a fan of football, you know Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson brought 'The Griddy' to the NFL.
But there's more to the story than just that.
Jefferson's touchdown celebration comes from a dance created by Alan "Griddy" Davis.
Davis, a Louisiana native, played football with Bengals receiver Ja'Marr Chase. When Chase committed to LSU, Griddy asked his friend to "bring my dance to the SEC."
Chase did. And, as he said, he taught "a few guys on the team."
One of those guys was Jefferson, who went pro before Chase. When Jefferson first did the Griddy in the end zone, it became a national phenomenon. It only grew when Chase lit up the NFL during his rookie year.
"(Kids) love seeing a dance and always tell me to do it, like every time they see me," Chase said.
Now, Griddy said the dance isn't just performed when NFL players score. It's gone global.
"The FIFA players, they score a goal and hit the Griddy and they get like a million views in like 30 minutes," Davis said. "I got all the athletes, all sports, all GOATs hit the Griddy."
This weekend marks the first time the former teammates face off since 2021 — Chase's rookie season. Jefferson is listed as questionable, but said earlier in the week he expects to play.
Fans watching can expect to see a Griddy or two, depending on the score.
WCPO will air Vikings at Bengals on Saturday at 1 p.m. Local coverage begins at noon with a WCPO 9 News Pregame Special. For more information, click here.
