The Washington Redskins selected quarterback Robert Griffin III with the second overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, and were hoping that he could be a long-time franchise quarterback for them. He looked like that type of player during his rookie season, but since then has struggled with injuries and inconsistency. Last season was an absolute nightmare for Griffin, and he could be facing his final chance with the Redskins in the 2015 season.
Despite the pressure that he is facing, Griffin is ready to turn his career back around and get back to being a franchise caliber quarterback.
LANDOVER, MD – AUGUST 07: Quarterback Robert Griffin III #10 of the Washington Redskins looks on before playing the New England Patriots during their preseason NFL game at FedExField on August 7, 2014 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Last season with the Redskins, Griffin ended up throwing for 1,694 yards, four touchdowns and six interceptions. He was only able to play in nine regular season games due to injuries, and had quite a few issues with head coach Jay Gruden. Neither party seemed to get along with the other, but they both understand heading into their second year that they can’t afford to handle things the way they did again.
At just 25 years old, Griffin is without question still capable of turning things around and getting back on track. He has Alfred Morris in the backfield to help take pressure off of him once again, and Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson as his top two wide receivers. There are a few different reasons that he is ready to get back on track, and why 2015 is the season that he’ll do it.
First of all, the real issue for him over the last couple seasons has been confidence in himself after going through series injury problems. Griffin was forced to change his game after going through a torn ACL due to his reckless style of play. Since then, the Redskins have wanted him to slow things down and become more of a pocket passer rather than making plays with his legs, and it’s never easy to learn a new game halfway through an athletic career.
There is no question that Griffin has taken steps forward in learning his new style of play over the last couple seasons. He hasn’t been able to turn those flashes into consistency, but that will come with time.
Health is the other big issue that he has faced, as he has continued going through smaller injuries that have forced him to miss time. The only way for a player to succeed at changing and tweaking his game is to play, and Griffin hasn’t been on the field as much as he has needed. Injuries have ruined quite a few career throughout the years, but it would be foolish to expect that the injury problems will continue.
Griffin is heading into his fourth NFL season, and has learned the game from on-the-field and from the sidelines and had a full offseason to work on getting his body healthy. He hasn’t had a chance to work throughout an entire offseason on his body and game, and that is exactly what he has done this year.
Needless to say, it isn’t going to be easy for him to turn things around and get back to being the Redskins’ franchise player. Even though he’ll have to put in a lot of work to get to that point, he is ready to embrace the challenge and prove his doubters wrong like he has throughout his entire career to this point. Washington decided to stick with him for one more season, and it will force Griffin to find his swagger once again and become the playmaker that he is more than capable of being.
Expect to see a much improved season in 2015 from Griffin, and to see him start to turn himself back into the player that the Redskins thought he would be when they drafted him. Every player learns and moves on from hardships throughout his career, and that is exactly what Griffin will do this season.
