Imagine waltzing into the National Football League with all the pressure that comes with being a quarterback; the position with the greatest workload, responsibility and burden in American sports today. If that’s not enough, tack on the stress of being a Heisman winner, a top draft pick and a bonafide celebrity before you ever step on the field, and being asked to resuscitate one of the most downtrodden, moribund, consistently ridiculed franchises in the entire league.
Then imagine doing the whole thing all over again.
That’s the scenario in which Robert Griffin III now finds himself. Nearly four years ago, he was the second overall pick in the NFL Draft, chosen by Washington, and for more than a brief moment, it really appeared as though the Baylor product with the track star speed, brilliant escapability and impossibly live arm might actually be the guy to overcome years of poor roster management, seasons of struggle and whatever the karmic cost of having Dan Snyder as an owner must be.
In his rookie season, Robert Griffin was everything that could have been hoped for, and more. It wasn’t just the numbers, though the 20 touchdowns, 4,000 combined yards, and 8.1 yards per passing attempt were undeniably impressive. It was also watching a single play, like his unforgettable 76 yard touchdown run to seal a victory over the Minnesota Vikings, and realizing that it tested the very boundaries of what we thought a quarterback was capable of doing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hmbi3JVoX-8
Of course, every self-respecting football fan knows what happened next. A host of injuries. A fraught relationship with a pair of head coaches. A struggle to perform consistently. And a whole lot of people who cared way too much about the slogan on a warmup t-shirt.
“What happened down there would break a lot of people,” Griffin offered Thursday, on a conference call with reporters following the signing, “I’m really excited to have another opportunity to grow with a coach that believes in me. That’s big, and I’ve just got to go out and prove it.”
The fact is, RGIII’s days in DC had been numbered for some time, and yet, given the fact that he was so rarely 100 percent, that the situation around him became so toxic, and that—thanks to a rather ludicrous contract situation—he had absolutely no chance of taking the field in 2015, you couldn’t help but wonder if that prodigious talent we saw early on was still there, buried deep, in desperate need of a fresh start.
“Fresh” isn’t exactly the first thing that comes to mind with regard to the Cleveland Browns. That’s probably why, when the news broke Thursday that Griffin had officially signed, the only thing anyone could think of was adding his name onto the official QB jersey of sadness.
White tape supply running dangerously low. How about some help @theduckbrand pic.twitter.com/xs8thOGH0X
— Brokaw (@BrokawInc) December 2, 2015
Whatever hope that anyone might have had for the RGIII revival tour, seemed to fizzle out the moment that the Dawg Pound became the destination. And sure, there are plenty of tangible, plain, objective reasons for this: The offensive line appears to be in shambles. Josh Gordon’s reinstatement is still uncertain. The depth chart at running back is headed by Isaiah Crowell. And yet, despite all of that, the major issue with the Cleveland Browns still feels like an existential one, as though the team’s negative aura immediately impacts anyone who comes on board.
The reality is, Griffin would be facing uphill odds no matter where he had landed this offseason. From 1980 to the present day, 80 quarterbacks have been drafted in first round, and it’s hard to find more than a handful who’ve gone on to have success with a second franchise.
Vinny Testaverde enjoyed a late career renaissance with the New York Jets. Tommy Maddox parlayed a season as XFL MVP into a return to the NFL, and a relatively successful run with the Pittsburgh Steelers. After battling alcoholism, Kerry Collins led the New York Giants to a Super Bowl. Doug Flutie, perhaps? And among active players, both Carson Palmer and Alex Smith are enjoying long, successful careers, away from the cities that were their first professional homes, but Palmer certainly wasn’t a bust in Cincinnati, if his career did become something of a disappointment there. Smith could be the example players like Griffin point to the most.
But there are plenty of rather straightforward reasons why these names are the exception, and not the rule. Given the incredible importance of quarterback play, anyone who demonstrates skill at the position is locked up quickly, and rarely has any need, or desire, to test the market. On the flip side, when a team invests a premium pick and significant money, they have every incentive to try to make it work. If a first round quarterback really can’t cut it with the team that selected him, chances are they don’t have much to offer anywhere else. And so it is that the Ryan Leafs, the Tim Couchs, the Akili Smiths, rarely are afforded much of a second act.
“I just learned it’s a beautiful game that we play,” said Griffin, sounding genuinely grateful for another chance. “It’s a privilege to play the game. Really just how much you have to love the game to have to go through some of the ups and downs that are presented to you in the NFL. I’m looking forward to a lot more ups and growing with Cleveland.”
The good news, for him, is that the organization he’s joining is just as desperate for a reboot as he is, and to their credit, they appear to truly be taking a different tack this time around. In a much scrutinized move back in January, the Browns hired former baseball executive Paul DePodesta as Chief Strategy Officer, hoping that his lack of experience with the gridiron can be overcome by his general brilliance and willingness to innovate. The team also hired Hue Jackson as their new Head Coach, widely respected for, among other things, his demonstrated ability to develop quarterbacks.
Will it work? It’s impossible to be sure. But given the utter ineptitude of the franchise since its 1999 return, it’s hard to argue against a completely new approach. And in a vacuum, there’s plenty about the Griffin signing that makes sense. The two year deal reportedly guarantees only about $7 million, with the opportunity to make up to $22 million with performance incentives. In other words, it’s the sort of low risk move that doesn’t prevent the team from snagging Jared Goff, Carson Wentz, or any other young QB options. “If they draft a quarterback, (I’ll) take the guy under my wing,” noted Griffin, “It doesn’t bother me at all, I’m just ready to compete.”
Maybe that’s the real key to a successful second chance in Cleveland. Perhaps it’s important, on a psychological level, for the team, the media, the fans, and the man himself, to think of RGIII not as a savior, faced once more with the monumental task of pulling a hapless franchise out of the doldrums, but rather, as just another QB fighting for a job. An option on the depth chart, albeit one who still tantalizes us with the memories of what was.
“This isn’t about me, to be honest with you,” said Griffin, demonstrating that if nothing else, he’s learned a few valuable lessons about deploying the right cliches. “It’s about this team and growing with this team.”
Which is true, to a point. But there’s no denying that if and when Robert Griffin III takes the field again, it will also be about him. Because everyone will be looking to see if that dynamic, electric, singular talent, is somewhere below the surface, waiting to break through once more.
