College
2008 – 11 – Baylor
Career
2012 – 15 – Washington Redskins
2016 – Cleveland Browns
2018 – 20 – Baltimore Ravens
The Washington Commanders have reached the NFC Championship game for the first time since 1991, led by their star rookie quarterback, Jayden Daniels. Daniels’ success this season has brought to mind the career of Robert Griffin III, who was brought in by Washington in the early 2010s to achieve similar heights with the franchise.
In 2008, Robert Griffin III took his talents to the Baylor Bears to continue to develop on his quarterback play. The Baylor program placed great faith in Griffin, starting eleven out of the twelve games during his freshman year. However, Griffin’s sophomore campaign with Baylor was cut short, as he tore his ACL in the third game of the calendar against Northwestern State. The following season Griffin spearheaded Baylor into having their first winning season in fifteen years. Despite this, he was struggling to gain attention on the national scale, with his outstanding play going unnoticed. This changed in Griffin’s senior year at Baylor as his elusiveness captivated fans, setting the college game alight. Griffin finished the year with 4,293 passing yards, 37 passing touchdowns, 699 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns and only 6 interceptions. Griffin’s production saw him win the college football's ultimate honour the Heisman trophy, eclipsing highly rated Stanford Quarterback Andrew Luck to the award.
Robert Griffin III after that season declared for the 2012 NFL draft where he would be selected as the second overall pick by the Washington Redskins. The Redskins were desperate for elite quarterback productivity, trading three first-round picks and a second-round pick to the St. Louis Rams as they believed that Griffin would be the solution to their problems. Griffin’s rookie season would not disappoint, as his form from college would continue into the NFL throwing for 320 yards and rushing for 42 in his NFL debut. He was named Rookie of the Week for his outstanding play, the first rookie quarterback to win the award in their debut game. Nevertheless, it was an NFC East rival game against the Philadelphia Eagles that sent shockwaves through the league. Griffin finished the game as the youngest player with a perfect passer rating, throwing four touchdown passes for more than 200 yards. His high-level play at the quarterback position meant that the Redskins made the playoffs for the first time since 2007. In spite of this, rumours were circling surrounding Griffin’s health going into the Wild Card round against the Seattle Seahawks, after twisting his right knee in week fourteen. Griffin’s magnificent season ended in dismay, tearing his ACL and LCL in the fourth quarter against the Seahawks. The Redskins would fall short against the Seahawks ending a promising season for the team. Nonetheless, this was still an exceptional individual season for Griffin as he won Offensive Rookie of the Year by making an All-pro team and being selected for the Pro Bowl game.
After rehabilitation, Griffin suited up in week one of the 2013 season showing no signs of a previous injury in his throwing ability. On the other hand, he started running the ball less frequently as it was clear he did not have full trust in his knee. Griffin rushed for 326 fewer yards than the year prior showing that the injury had affected his athletic ability. The Redskins with Griffin starting won only three games and lost ten, with him being benched for the final three games of the regular season as they were out of the playoff picture.
In his third season with Washington, Griffin dislocated his ankle against the Jacksonville Jaguars which kept him out until week nine. After struggling in his return from injury, he was benched after three games for backup quarterback Colt McCoy. This campaign was a disaster for Griffin as he finished the year with more interceptions than touchdowns and rushed for 19.6 yards per game, which is down 34.7 from his rookie year.
After suffering a concussion blow in a pre-season game against the Detroit Lions, Griffin did not play a single game for the Redskins during the 2015 season. He was replaced by his understudy since entering the league, Kirk Cousins, who led Washington to the first seed in the NFC East. The Redskins released Griffin after that season as they held strong confidence in Kirk Cousins to continue his great play under centre.
The Cleveland Browns desperate for quarterback output signed Robert Griffin III to a two-year contract in 2016, giving him a chance to salvage his career. However, the injury woes continued with Griffin fracturing his shoulder in week one of the calendar and not returning until week fourteen. It was clear that Griffin had regressed due to his injuries, as the once mobile quarterback had become very one-dimensional. The Browns released Griffin after that season as he was only available for five games during the 2016 season. Griffin then took a year out of football and joined the Baltimore Ravens in 2018 to help mentor the electric and upcoming quarterback out of Louisville, Lamar Jackson. He spent three years in Baltimore before retiring from football after the 2020 season at the age of 31.
Griffin is a trailblazer for young dual-threat quarterbacks as he had the perfect blend of elite passing and running ability. He had great playmaking instinct as he was able to extend plays with his mobility and speed in the pocket and his vision allowed him to create plays in the passing game. Griffin was known for his deep ball as he was able to make accurate downfield plays with his arm strength. The dynamism in his playstyle is what mesmerised football fans as his Heisman and Rookie of the Year winning seasons are some of the most exciting seasons at the college and pro-football levels. Although his aggressive play style caused him to suffer major injuries throughout his career, which unfortunately meant he had a short stinted prime. His explosive quarterback play, his iconic headband and his charismatic personality are just some of the reasons why Robert Griffin III is one we shall never forget.
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