Former dual-threat sensation Robert Griffin III is one of the biggest “what if” stories in sports history, and we’ve been wondering for years what he and the Washington Commanders could’ve done if his bright career wasn’t cut short by a string of injuries.
Now the current ESPN analyst is using his brief career as a cautionary tale for Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and the recent dilemma he was faced with.
RG3 Speaks On Lamar Jackson
After it was revealed that Lamar chose to sit out against the Bengals instead of trying to chase a Super Bowl, RG3 came to his defense.
RG3 tweeted “This is why you don’t just put a brace on it and play. Played with no ACL and LCL for my brothers/team. Changed the trajectory of my career. Hindsight is 20/20. I didn’t have the luxury of that. Lamar does. He is DOING THE RIGHT THING.”
Griffin’s tweet was in response to a comment by Michael Vick in which the former NFL QB and current analyst suggested that Jackson should just throw a knee brace on and go play.
In case y’all forgot what “just put a brace on it” looks like. pic.twitter.com/xcHMT3VnUJ
— Roug Pod (@RougPod) January 15, 2023
Most fans felt the same way that RG3 did.
Imagine letting Mike Vick trick you out of $100 million+. I’m glad Lamar Jackson has better sense than that
— Oc (@_PoppaOc_) January 15, 2023
It’s an emotional topic, so fans also seem to forget that Lamar is the one turning down some big money to get astronomical guarantees, but that’s for him and the Ravens to work out while everybody speculates.
The Ravens are now in the offseason phase of operations after they were narrowly defeated by the Cincinnati Bengals in the wild card round of the playoffs 24-17. Jackson obviously didn’t play, but what wasn’t obvious, is that he didn’t even travel with the team to Cincinnati for the game.
Not a good sign.
Is Lamar Jackson Leaving Baltimore Ravens?
But this was all a part of his decision to sit out the season-ending playoff game against the Bengals in consideration of his long-term health as an athlete.
Lamar played this year without a contract after negotiations stalled and he notoriously decided to enter the season and actually touch the field without a long-term deal. Lamar sitting out again proved what most people already knew. The Ravens’ offense is doomed without Big Truzz at the helm.
The team struggled to produce offensively behind second-string QB Tyler Huntley, and it was his costly fourth-quarter turnover that the Bengals’ defense converted into touchdown that proved the difference. Immediately after the loss, it was revealed that the Ravens plan to franchise tag Jackson if they can’t come to terms on a long-term deal.
Does Lamar Jackson Have Upper Hand In Negotiations?
Despite consecutive season-ending injuries, Lamar is most likely at an advantage with these negotiations.
While the fans understandably didn’t respect Lamar’s decision to sit for the wild card round, Jackson has the support of someone who was in his shoes before.
What happened To NFL Quarterback RG3?
Robert Griffin III was on top of the sports world, leading the then-Washington Redskins to a playoff berth and a 10-6 record in 2012. Though throughout his rookie season, the electric Griffin made sensational plays but also took his share of abuse along the way. Starting with a concussion early in the season, he then had an LCL sprain. Then the next month is when the rookie sensation tore his ACL in a wild card game, later admitting that he shouldn’t have played in that game.
He was not only urged to put a brace on, but he also pushed himself and his body to its limit, taking, and enduring hits he had no business absorbing in his fragile state. After he returned from his ACL tear he was never the same. It’s a no-brainer that he’s going to applaud Lamar for making the decision he didn’t make. Especially since Lamar has yet to get paid either.
RG3 Is Lamar Jackson’s Mentor And Friend
RG3 is also Lamar’s former teammate on the Ravens as well, the two played together in 2018. Griffin was in his twilight years, hanging around as a backup/mentor for Jackson who was on his way to league MVP.
The relationship developed due to a “brotherhood that naturally develops between Black quarterbacks because of what they go through. Just look at the treatment of Jackson in comparison to other white quarterbacks in the draft.”
“Is it different being an African-American quarterback in the NFL?” Griffin said in 2018. “Yes, it’s different. But you can’t look at it as a burden. You can’t look at it as something that is going to hold you back. It’s a challenge. You have to accept the challenge and move forward with it. Anytime you are athletic enough at the quarterback position and have similar traits to a wide receiver or running back, it’s going to be talked about. You have to eliminate that noise and understand that, because I have that ability, I am going to be even greater.”
So it’s only natural that he’d also stick up for Lamar as well.
Lamar might’ve won the chess game though, because not only are the Ravens keen on getting him a new long-term contract, but if they don’t, after his franchise tag year he will undoubtedly be the hottest free agent in the market for any team looking for a franchise quarterback.
