Robert Griffin III vs Jay Gruden- Big Troubles In Washington As Coach And Quarterback Go After Each Other- Could RG3 Be Traded?
The Robert Griffin III vs Jay Gruden war of words between the Washington Redskins coach and his star quarterback has just escalated, and with the coach and star clearly not on the same page for the struggling 3-7 NFL team, should Washington look at RG3 trades?
Since Robert Griffin III landed with Washington with No. 2 overall pick in the 2012 draft (after an expensive trade with the St Louis Rams), the team has looked to him as a savior, and after one of the most impressive and hyped-up rookie season in recent memory, it seemed warranted. Now, two years later, after consistent injuries and the performance of his backups Kirk Cousins and Colt McCoy, questions are beginning to be asked about the quarterback's future in the American capital, with persistent questions being asked as to whether the team should trade Griffin.
Not helping matters, according to Washington coach Jay Gruden, is RG3 throwing his teammates under the bus after another loss, with the coach delivering some tough love for the much-hyped quarterback.
According to ESPN, Griffin told a press conference after his team's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, "If you want to look at the good teams in this league and the great quarterbacks, the Aaron Rodgers or Peyton Mannings, those guys don't play well if their guys don't play well. I need every guy in that locker room and I know they are looking at me saying the same thing."
Gruden, it turns out, wasn't pleased with Griffin's comments. "It's his job to worry about his position, his footwork, his fundamentals, his reads, his progressions, his job at the quarterback position," Gruden reportedly said. "It's my job to worry about everybody else. And, yes, everybody else needs to improve. There's no question about it. But it's not his place. His place is to talk about himself and he knows that. He just elaborated a little bit too much."
The Washington Post reported that Gruden was also pleading with his quarterback to not try to do too much on the field. "Sometimes you don't need great," Gruden reportedly said. "He is obviously very competitive, but we just need him to do what he's supposed to do - just take your drops the right way and throw the five-yard stick route when you're supposed to and do the best you can. Sometimes he worries about a little bit too much, but he is a great competitor and we've just got to try to get him better."
After Gruden's press conference, Griffin took to Twitter to defend himself, his comments and his position with the team.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>It's unfortunate that anyone would take a piece of my press conference & say I threw my teammates under the bus. These men are my family</p>— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) <a href="https://twitter.com/RGIII/status/534459965550100480">November 17, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>I would never throw my teammates under the bus! I take responsibility for my play & will play better. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HTTR?src=hash">#HTTR</a></p>— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) <a href="https://twitter.com/RGIII/status/534460044218482690">November 17, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The team are 0-2 since Griffin returned from a dislocated ankle, and Washington's score of 7 points on Sunday were their lowest since opening week, when they lost 17-6 to Houston. Most distressingly, it came against Tampa Bay, who own the league's 30th worst defense, giving up an average of 27.9 points per game.
The Washington Post also reported former Washington quarterback Joe Theisman saying that after being injured so much, Griffin needs to adapt his game to his new, limited body.
"The one thing people have to understand: Robert will not be the same athlete he was two years ago," Theismann said. "He will never be the same athlete; it's not going to happen. He can't. He has to develop a game beyond athleticism and escapability, and that only comes with time."
It's obviously not common for a coach to come and directly address problems with his quarterback, meaning you have to wonder what this means for Griffin's future in Washington. It could easily be the beginning of the end, says NBC, or it could be the catalyst for he and Gruden getting on the same page.