It’s not a new story to see a high caliber talent wasted once they reach the pinnacle of their respective sport.
It happens in a variety of ways: injury, drug abuse, scandals, and it’s happening right now with another area team dysfunction.
Robert Griffin III of the Washington Redskins had one of the most electric
rookie seasons in recent memory.
Griffin threw for 3,200 yards, 20 touchdowns, and five interceptions. On the ground, he added 815 yards and seven touchdowns. He totaled over 4,000 yards and 27 total touchdowns as a rookie.
Insane.
We all remember how that season would end. A Rookie of the Year award and a torn ACL is all he would be left with after a 9-6 season that ended in the wild card round of the playoffs.
Then the following season, RG3 rushed himself back into the fray, throwing for about the same yardage, but his touchdown-to-interception ratio regressed to 16-12. The team finished 3-10 under Griffin in 2013 and missed the playoffs.
And then last season, we all remember the debacle that was the Redskins and the underachieving from RG3 who had to deal with the constant question of will he start or not?
This season is starting the same way last year ended, a lot of speculation surrounding the former Heisman Trophy winner.
Do the Redskins want him to start?
Do Jay Gruden and the offensive line even like RG3? This speculation began after RG3 was hit on 6-of-8 dropbacks in week two of the preseason, the 20 plays after Griffin came out the quarterbacks (Colt McCoy and Kirk Cousins) went untouched.
Is Dan Snyder the sole reason he’s still in D.C.?
RG3 is now being consumed by speculation and the pig pen that is Washington Redskin football.
His career has taken a sharp downturn. From 9-6 his rookie season to 2-5 last season. From 4,000 total yards his rookie season to only 1,800 last year.
How has this happened?
Are injuries to blame? Partly, he has had two knee injuries including the torn ACL, which have resulted in missed time.
But looking back on the knee injury, we recall the mishandling of ACL sprain. The situation still isn’t clear, did Dr. James Andrews clear him for play? Did the team rush him back?
What we do know is that RG3 wanted to play, which he should’ve. Like he said after the ACL tear, “I’m the best option on this team.”
But that particular incident is not the entire cause of the downward spiral that is Griffin’s career.
I’m more concerned with the present handling.
Head coach Jay Gruden doesn’t appear to be all-in on Griffin, which is fine.
The front office as a whole seems ready to move on, reports on Sunday confirm that they want to end the experience.
The wrench in the how gear system seems to be Snyder, who is often in the middle of any Redskin controversy. He is a very hands-on owner, he is in control and until he is no longer owner that will be the case.
He loves Griffin, which he should; he witnessed every ounce of potential that RG3 had inside of him in 2012. He traded the house to get him, and he cannot blow it up now, at least in his mind. He wants 2012 to become a constant in Washington.
Sports fans outside of the D.C. metro area have to admire this part of Snyder. He wants to win. He wants to win with Griffin. He wants to win a lot.
But the marriage needs to end in divorce.
Snyder must realize that either Griffin or Gruden have to go, and it has to happen sooner rather than later. With Griffin’s deal soon to be up, you have to decide if you want to keep the 6-foot-2 dual threat, or move on and restart.
If the current formula exists at the conclusion of this season, and the Redskins don’t have a miraculous season ending in the playoffs, they are in a weird place.
The Redskins need to settle upon the direction of the franchise, like right now.
For Griffin, the career needs to be examined through another lens.
His 2012 season was one of the best; NFL.com’s Elliot Harrison ranked it as number four for a rookie QB. Dan Marino, Ben Roethlisberger, and Russell Wilson were the only signal callers to top him.
He was in the drivers seat until the knee injury, but that shouldn’t have been career ending (at least in terms of the caliber he should be playing).
The team has handcuffed Griffin to failing as the Washington team has the past ten seasons. They doomed him. Sucked him into the vortex and they’ve refused to spit him out.
And now?
He’s looking ahead at this season just praying to come out alive. An offensive line that lets you gets hit six of eight times you drop back is not a line he needs to be playing behind.
He is at risk for another serious injury and what has this done to his money value? He would’ve been in-line with Russell Wilson, Cam Newton, Andy Dalton, and Ryan Tannehill to get a mega deal. Actually, he would have been above that quartet. He had a career path that would’ve been similar to Andrew Luck of the Indianapolis Colts.
He was a sure bet to win a Super Bowl.
Here’s the thing, he still is.
He has a booming arm, one that wing it down the field on target. He has the legs to spread the defense out if they key on the pass. Paired with an average to a great offensive line, the possibilities are endless.
But what’s he going to get paid? Very little, at least guaranteed. He would likely have incentives placed into the deal.
It’s a shame to see one of the most talented players in the NFL lose a career. But if the Redskins keep using (read: underusing) him, his career will never amount to what it could.
The Redskins organization is out of sync, never a good thing for the players involved. Two camps have emerged: a pro-Griffin camp and a pro get-rid of Griffin camp.
With that hung over RG3’s head, as well as McCoy and Cousins, nobody will be able to do well.
It also hangs over the head of Gruden and his coaching staff. They clearly aren’t the biggest backers of the QB, but if they want to keep their jobs, it may mean starting number 10.
The only answer that makes logical sense at this point in the RG3 adventure is for the Redskins to cut ties.
Mr. Snyder, please trade Robert Griffin III.
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