The Magical Rookie Season
Robert Griffin III burst onto the NFL scene in 2012.
The Redskins gave up a king’s ransom (3 first-round picks and a second-round pick) to trade up and land the Heisman Trophy winner. The expectations were sky high and RGIII eclipsed them.
His 4.4 speed and elite athleticism didn’t fade in the faster-paced NFL. He regularly made highlight reel plays look routine. He was the ideal dual-threat quarterback in a league with a hybrid player of some sort at nearly every position.
Griffin dazzled his way to the Pro Bowl and Offensive Rookie of the Year honors with 3200 yards and 20 touchdowns to 5 interceptions through the air and another 815 yards and 7 touchdowns on the ground. He set records with a 102.4 quarterback rating and a 4 to 1 touchdown to interception ratio as a rookie. It was a magical season.
Falling Back to Earth
But the ending to RGIII’s fairy-tale rookie season ended with a much less magical ending. In a wildcard loss to the Seattle Seahawks, RGIII re-aggravated an injury to his ACL and LCL. Even with an offseason to recover, he wasn’t quite the same player the next time he stepped on the field.
In his second year, he failed to recapture his rookie form. He looked more timid and less explosive. He seemed to be doubting himself and losing confidence each week. In 2014, in an interview with 106.7 The Fan, former Pro Bowl tight end and CBS analyst said, “I believe in seeing a sports psychologist as well, because as far as I’m concerned, the way he was looking out there, it was not that old RGIII. He needs to get back to that guy and feel comfortable in his own skin, where he’s not thinking too much, and just go out there and play.”
A Second Chance
Since being named the starter for the Cleveland Browns this offseason, he has started to look like “that guy” again. It is tempting to see this as a desperate attempt by a perennial loser to reclaim another team’s former top pick in hope the that they can dig out some of that buried talent in a way the last team couldn’t. But this is different. And our voters agree.
RGIII officially named the #Browns starting QB. With talent on offense, is this the start of a successful comeback?
— Best NFL Polls (@Best_NFL_Polls) August 8, 2016
Hue Jackson, the Browns’ new head coach, has a history of bringing the best out of his quarterbacks. Andy Dalton’s MVP-worthy season last year in Cincinnati is proof of his offensive prowess. Jackson has already done wonders for RGIII’s confidence in a way that the toxic situation in Washington never could have. Griffin has come into Cleveland saying and doing all the right things, motivated to prove wrong everybody who has signed off on his NFL career.
RGIII has playmakers on the perimeter in Josh Gordon, rookie sensation Corey Coleman and breakout candidate Terrelle Pryor. Gary Barnidge is a reliable target in the redzone and over the middle of the field. Duke Johnson is being praised as a versatile threat coming out of the backfield.
We’ve gotten a glimpse of the big-play potential of this Cleveland offense with RGIII at the helm. And although there have been some hiccups too, it certainly looks like the real deal.
RGIII-to-Terrelle Pryor connection lookin good for second week in a row. Is this a preseason fluke or the real deal?
— Best NFL Polls (@Best_NFL_Polls) August 19, 2016
In a positive situation where he doesn’t have to keep looking over his shoulder, RGIII should have a chance to show what he can do when he is, as Tony Gonzalez said, “comfortable in his own skin.” We may not get the 2012 RGIII this year in Cleveland, but that may not be what Griffin wants anyways. Per Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com, the 2016 RGIII is going to great lengths to show he can be coachable and still has a love for the game. As long as the offensive line can keep him upright, it will be exciting to see what Coach Jackson can do with Griffin on the field having fun again.
As week 1 of the 2016 season approaches, RGIII’s career looks alive and well. A revival is underway in Cleveland. RGIII is proving his doubters wrong and if he has anything to say about it, he’ll prove the legions of Cleveland Browns’ doubters wrong while he’s at it.
The Browns have Moneyball, Hue Jackson, and drafted 14 rookies. How soon is their next winning season? #DawgPound
— Best NFL Polls (@Best_NFL_Polls) May 2, 2016
(Photo Credit: Josh Gunter via cleveland.com)