yahoo
Once hailed as the NFL's most promising young quarterback, Robert Griffin III's career became one of the league's most compelling what-if narratives. Now, at 36, Griffin has hinted at a return to professional football, telling the Dan Patrick Show that several mysterious teams are supporting his comeback bid.
When asked which teams he could fit with right now, Griffin responded, "Any of them." He elaborated, "Right now, at this point in my life, with the amount of film I've had to watch, with the amount of growth I've made, understanding the game, what the game needs, what you can't do, what you have to do… Yeah, I can play in any system."
Griffin also disclosed that the idea of his return is gaining traction within a few NFL organizations, confirming he has spoken with some teams. However, he emphasized that any opportunity would need to be the right fit, as he is currently enjoying his role as a FOX Sports analyst. "I'm not going to sacrifice that just to try to make headlines," he said. "I can still throw a football and read a defense and have fun doing it, Dan. If they want me to go do it, they've got to, you know, I guess, pony up and make that happen."
At 36, RG3 believes he still has something left to prove. The former quarterback has not taken a snap in the league since 2020, but this is not the first time he has discussed a return. As early as July 2022, he stated he was ready to go now, adding that he trained every day. He left the door open for teams then, saying, "If I get a call this year, next year, or five years from now, I will be ready to play."
Just recently in Week 2, after witnessing the Atlanta Falcons' 34-3 loss to the Carolina Panthers in September, Griffin reiterated his desire to play in the NFL while commenting on Cooper Rush and Jack Strand. "When Cooper Rush and Jack Strand are stinking it up in Atlanta, it makes zero sense that QBs like Cam Newton, Jimmy Garoppolo, Ryan Tannehill, and myself aren't the veteran presence in the room to stabilize teams when their QB goes down," Griffin said. "These guys were playing for Carolina today."
Later last month, he also posted on X, writing that his daughters want to see Daddy play football again, so tell your favorite team to call. The UFL responded to the post with an eye-peeking emoji.
Griffin's journey began with high expectations: he won the Heisman Trophy in 2011, was drafted second overall in 2012 by the Washington Redskins, and earned AP Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. However, his trajectory changed when he tore his ACL in his right knee during his rookie season. Griffin has said the injury could have been prevented if his coach had benched him despite his desire to play, especially since he had a knee sprain prior to the Wild Card loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
That injury altered the course of his once-promising career, as he was plagued by further injuries: a dislocated left ankle in 2014, a concussion in 2015, and a fractured coracoid bone in his left shoulder in 2016. After being released by the Cleveland Browns, he spent the 2017 season out of the league and then served as a backup behind Joe Flacco and Lamar Jackson from 2018 to 2020 before being waived by the Ravens. Over his seven-year career, he played only 56 games.
Now 36, Griffin may be seeking a return to the NFL and has been in contact with teams to make it happen. Another future goal is to represent Team USA in flag football at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Only time will tell how things unfold for Griffin, but his persistent conversations over the years demonstrate he remains ready to hit the gridiron and play football.
Originally reported by yahoo.