Robert Griffin III has said he was eager to return to the NFL after taking a sabbatical last season to focus on working as an ESPN analyst, but he is ready to put his career on hold.
“I’m ready to go right now,” he said via CBS 10 KWTX. “I train every day. I throw and work out. I know what it takes to get my body ready, and I am doing those things. Yes, it is a little bit tougher when you are flying around everywhere doing stuff for TV. When you really want something, you make it work.” Check out the best new sportsbooks for betting on the NFL.
The former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year is currently still working on sports, albeit on its broadcasting side. He said he did not consider himself retired despite being out of the NFL last season.
Prepping other players
He brought his traveling dual-act to New Jersey in April, where he had a pre-draft interview with Kenny Pickett while running through drills with Picket and trainer Tony Racioppi at TEST Football Academy. Pickett happened to be the first-round draft choice for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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Griffin is a free agent whose last game was for the Baltimore Ravens in 2020. His best seasons were when he was with the Washington Commanders. Before that, he spent a year with the Cleveland Browns and continued mentoring Lamar Jackson during Jackson’s rookie season in 2018, his MVP season in 2019, and 2020.
For the time being, Griffin serves as a mentor for other players, providing them with football knowledge.
“I still love to play,” he said. “But right now, I’m just focused on doing the best as I can as a storyteller and giving back to football as much as I can.
“That is a big point of emphasis for me. I am trying to aid these guys and give back to the sport, not take away from it. It’s not about me, it’s about the guys that are playing.”
Griffin’s career put on hold by injury
Griffin’s career was quite promising until a series of injuries put it on hold, starting with a knee injury in 2012, followed by a dislocated left ankle in 2014. In 2015, he suffered a concussion, preventing him from being an active third-string quarterback for the Commanders. In 2016, he suffered a shoulder injury, which led to his release and rendered him jobless for the 2017 season.
He spent 2018-20 with the Ravens as a backup quarterback to Joe Flacco and Jackson. Griffin started with two games (1-1 record) and completed 56.9 percent passes for 288 yards with one touchdown and four interceptions (47.2) in 14 games with the team.
Throughout seven NFL seasons, Griffin has completed 63 percent of his passes for 9,271 yards, with 43 touchdowns and 30 interceptions (86.5 ratings). He also has a rushing number of 1,809 yards and ten touchdowns.
Should he return, Griffin will not be looking forward to playing as a quarterback this time. He said what mattered to him was getting back in the game.
“So if I get that call this year, next year, or five years from now, I will be ready to play,” he said.
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