It is wild to think that it has been a decade since Robert Griffin III was a Heisman Trophy winner at Baylor.
Feel old?
Griffin followed that up by being the No. 2 overall pick in 2012, only to be a star as a rookie.
But injuries soon followed and Griffin fell out of favor in NFL circles.
We bring up Griffin now because his name is in the news, but not because he is returning as a starting quarterback.
Instead, he is joining the broadcast booth.
Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III has signed a multi-year deal to join ESPN as a college football/NFL analyst. Griffin III will call a weekly ESPN/ABC college game, and also contribute to ESPN’s coverage of the College Football Playoff, Super Bowl, and other major events. pic.twitter.com/tvx6RGgw8a
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 5, 2021
Griffin, who is still only 31 years old, is still keeping his options open for an NFL return as well.
Staying Near The Game
Griffin is still so young and staying around both the college and NFL game should only be good for his personal brand and chances of making a return.
He should also be making quite the nice payday for such a position with ESPN.
That kind of money is hard to turn down when considering Griffin has taken a physical toll for so long in the game of football.
He is also no stranger to the booth, as he has some broadcast experience in his past.
Recent NFL Experience
Griffin fell out of favor in Washington after only a few years, as that team severely mismanaged their No. 2 overall talent.
He then got a fresh start with the Cleveland Browns in 2016, but that team was one of the biggest disasters in recent NFL history.
Luckily, Griffin returned in 2018 with the Baltimore Ravens in a backup role.
He was on the sidelines helping Lamar Jackson and was on a competent team for the first time in a long time.
Griffin did play sparingly, but his job was to be a backup and a mentor and it appears he did that well.
The Ravens ultimately decided to move for some younger backup options who fit that mobile mold.
NFL Future
Veteran free agent QB and budding broadcasting talent Robert Griffin III is headed to ESPN, source said. He still wants to play and has an out in his contract if opportunity arises. But he’s a broadcaster now with a very high ceiling.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 5, 2021
Griffin’s days as a starter are long past, but he is certainly someone who could land another backup job in the future.
That is, if he wants to take such a job instead of staying in the broadcast booth and potentially making more money as an analyst.
Openly mentioning he is open to a return should mean he does in fact take an opportunity, if one becomes available.
That should be true regardless of the pay.
The key for Griffin would be to prove he can be dynamic as a pocket passer, who can occasionally use his legs.
The intelligence and experience is there, however, teams may be wary to commit much to the 31-year-old at this point in his career.
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