Storm lineman Tom Briggs leaves his early struggles behind

By Keith Niebuhr, Times Staff Writer
In print: Saturday, March 29, 2008

Storm lineman Tom Briggs, pressuring Columbus’ Matt Nagy, has 46 sacks in his career, ranking him third all time in the league.
	[KEN HELLE | Times]

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Watch Tom Briggs play for a snap or two, and it's hard to believe the Storm defensive lineman has ever struggled on the football field.

But the truth is, he has.

When Briggs began his AFL career in 1997 with the Anaheim Piranhas, linemen played both ways. For Briggs, who had been a defensive player just about his entire life, learning to play offense was quite a test. And one, at least initially, he didn't pass.

"I couldn't get the hang of it," Briggs said.

Because of that, he was released after two games.

But after being signed by the Portland Forest Dragons, coach Stan Brock taught Briggs the finer points of being an offensive lineman, and Briggs quickly began showing improvement.

Before long, he was starting. Within a few years, he had become a force.

"He was very effective because he'd reach out with his left arm and get you," Storm assistant Eddie Vowell said. "Then he'd cut you. He was the best cut linemen I've ever seen in Arena Football."

Those who know Briggs say his transformation sums him up as both a person and a player.

"That's Tom Briggs in a nutshell," Vowell said. "He wants to be good at whatever he does. And he wants to win."

Briggs' offensive exploits ended in 2007 when the league began allowing free substitution. Now in his 12th season, the former West Virginia standout also has had great success on the defensive line. In fact, "for about five years, he was the best defensive player in the league," Vowell said.

The 6-foot-3, 270-pound Briggs ranks third all time in the AFL with 46 sacks and is sixth in forced fumbles (19). In 2003, he was named lineman of the year.

"It's hard to sack the QB in the AFL," ESPN commentator Bob Wischusen said. "The rules are devised to stop (a defensive lineman) from doing your job. To still be doing that after a dozen years is pretty impressive."

Few AFL players time an opposing team's snap as well as Briggs. He's also a self-proclaimed workout nut and he watches a ton of video. And, of course, you can't forget his energy, the first thing coaches and teammates typically mention when talking about him.

"He's a high-motor guy," Storm lineman Ernest Certain said. "He plays every play like it's his last one."