BACK IN OCTOBER, I wrote about how Mike Shanahan and the Washington Redskins were short-sighted to bring Robert Griffin III back for a game against the Minnesota Vikings after the rookie quarterback had taken a huge hit to the head a week earlier versus the Atlanta Falcons.
My argument was that, despite winning the game, they had put the long-term career of their franchise quarterback at risk and that is never a smart move. Indeed, you only have to look at the sorry tale of Detroit Lions running back Jahvid Best to see how career-threatening multiple concussions can be.
My main concern in that October piece was how the Redskins dealt with the initial injury. They described the former Heisman Trophy winner as ‘shaken up’ in the hope that he could return during the Falcons game, never mind a week later.
After the article was published, I was taken to task by several NFL fans on both Twitter and Facebook for my assertion that the Redskins didn’t have RGIII’s best interests in mind when they called his number that day. Why, they asked, would any coach risk a player they’d given up three first round picks for?
To be honest, I didn’t really have an answer as to why, but the simple fact was that the Redskins had seen no problem with risking him. If they had, there’s no way he would have started against the Vikings.
I didn’t think much about the column after the initial fuss had died down until 9 December, when the Redskins faced the Baltimore Ravens. Trailing 28-20, Griffin went down with an injured knee after scrambling for 13 yards while attempting to lead a game-tying drive.
He left the game for one play, returned for four more, and then left for good. After the game, Coach Shanahan told the press that doctors had cleared RGIII to return for those four plays.
However, before this weekend’s Wild-Card game with the Seattle Seahawks, Dr. James Andrews told USA Today “he (RGIII) didn’t even let us look at him.”
“He came off the field, walked through the sidelines, circled back through the players, and took off back to the field. It wasn’t our opinion. We didn’t even get to touch him or talk to him. Scared the hell out of me.”
I’ve never coached an NFL team, but if my franchise quarterback took a hit to the knee like RGIII did, and somebody didn’t take a look at him before he went back out onto the field, I’d be calling for heads to roll, not to mention worry about my own.
After this weekend’s game, in which Griffin looked a shadow of the player he has been for the Redskins this season, Shanahan told reporters: “I talked to Robert and Robert said to me ‘Coach, there’s a difference between being injured and being hurt and I can guarantee I’m hurting right now but give me a chance to win this football game because I can guarantee I’m not injured.’”
Clearly though, Griffin was injured. He couldn’t make cuts when he ran nor properly plant his feet when throwing. I can understand why he wanted to play but sometimes a head coach has to look at the evidence in front of him – and there was plenty – before making the call to pull him out of the game.
It was sad to see such a promising rookie season end with RGIII sat on the sidelines – his head bent, eyes closed and hands clasped as if in prayer – unable to look on as Kirk Cousins tried in vain to lead an unlikely late comeback.
However, given the Redskins’ record of dealing with his injuries to date, it may be a more familiar sight going forward.
Wild-Card results
- Cincinnati Bengals 13 @ Houston Texans 19
- Minnesota Vikings 10 @ Green Bay 24
- Indianapolis Colts 9 @ Baltimore Ravens 24
- Seattle Seahawks 24 @ Washington Redskins 14
