Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III was once thought to be the savior of the Washington football franchise. The first elite QB since Joe Theismann led the team to back-to-back Super Bowl appearances in 1982 and 1983.
The former No. 2 pick out of Baylor, who also won the Heisman Trophy his final season in Waco, Texas, took the league by storm, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2012.
He led the Washington Redskins to a 10-6 record, which included a seven-game winning streak to win the division and make the playoffs. That’s where things went awry for the talented dual-threat, whose dynamic performances gave the Washington, D.C., area hope not seen since three-time Super Bowl-winning head coach Joe Gibbs stalked the sidelines.
Griffin Tears ACL, Regrets Rushing Back
With the division title in tow, Washington hosted the rising Seattle Seahawks. Behind Griffin they jumped out to a quick (14-0) lead, only to have him come up lame on a run. After going into the medical tents, Griffin was ruled out and an MRI confirmed a second ACL tear.
In an attempt to rush back to begin the 2013 season, Griffin documented his offseason workout regimen to make it happen. In essence, he returned to the field just eight months after tearing his ACL, but he isn’t Adrian Peterson who did it just 10 ten months after tearing it, even winning MVP while rushing for 2,097 yards.
Griffin’s return was too soon, and he believes it played a role in his career never playing out the way most believed it would. During a recent episode of his podcast “RG3 and The Ones,” Griffin talked at length about his thought process to rush back.
“The biggest regret of my career was playing in 2013. After my injury in the playoffs against the Seahawks, I was all in for Week 1 because I wanted to be out there for my teammates. Every player when given the option to fight or flight chooses to fight. It’s what we do. But in life you have to learn from your mistakes, acknowledge them and help others not to make the same ones. Hindsight is 20/20, and I should have been all in for my career and chose to fight another day.”
Griffin Rushed Back Because Of Kirk Cousins?
It’s no secret that Washington head coach Mike Shanahan didn’t want to draft Griffin, but he was forced to by former team owner Daniel Snyder. Shanahan wanted former Tennessee Titans QB Ryan Tannehill, but instead opted for Kirk Cousins in the fourth round.
Cousins fit the prototype of the quarterback Shanahan envisioned running his offense, and Griffin knew it, which also contributed to Griffin rushing back.
Needless to say, 12 years later, Cousins is still playing the position and getting the bag, while Griffin, after some backup stints in Cleveland and Baltimore, is now one of ESPN’s rising young NFL and CFB analysts.
