Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III texted ESPN sports writer Trey Wingo in which he acknowledged his own role leading to knee surgery. Redskins.com posted the text of the message that we repeat here.
“My knee is getting better every day. The doctors say I’m ahead of schedule. My goal is to return healthy in week one but if I’m not ready then I will wait until I am, however long that is. My first NFL season and my injury that ended it showed me a lot about the league, my team and myself. I know where my responsibility is within the dilemma that led to me having surgery to repair my knee and all parties involved know their responsibilities as well. I’m looking forward to playing the game we all love so much again and not behind at the negative. Thanks for the overwhelming level of support that I’ve received, sic ‘em bears and hail to the redskins!!”
Griffin’s statement parallel’s Mike Shanahan’s comments at the coaches’ breakfast during the NFL annual meeting last week.
“The one thing he is going to have to learn to do is how to slide, how to throw the football away, how to protect himself. You do have to know when to slide. Sometimes it’s normal slide, sometimes it’s a headfirst slide, but you can’t take shots consistently in the National Football League.”
Somewhere between the lines, I’m reading an “I told you so.”
Also between the lines, I’m reading that Shanahan will continue to give Griffin the leading role in decisions concerning his health. The parties intend to make better decisions using the same thought process that is baked into football culture. Hmm. How do you feel about that?
Nothing about Shanahan’s and Griffin’s string of decisions late last season, and especially in the Seahawks playoff game, inspires confidence that the pair will reach wise choices in the future, especially when a title is on the line.
Washington needed close-out wins against the Eagles and Cowboys to clinch the division. Shanahan trusted Kirk Cousins at quarterback against lowly Cleveland, but not against division rivals, even with questions swirling about RGIII’s health. Griffin led the ‘Skins to a torrid start against the Seahawks before his knee buckled. Cousins did not enter the game to protect a 14-point lead that suited him better than to comeback against a strong Seahawks defense.
Both Griffin and Shanahan said you can’t take that many hits in the NFL. Shanahan just led the Redskins to their best season since Norv Turner (I can’t believe I wrote that). Griffin is the Redskins' best draftee since Sammy Baugh. They get the benefit of the doubt, though I’m uncomfortable with it.
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