NFL Injuries: Which NFL stars deserve career re-do?
53. . QB. Browns. Robert Griffin III. 1. player
While at Baylor, Robert Griffin III was looking like the next big college star who was about to grace the NFL with his immeasurable skill. He was named an All-American in 2011 and then went on to win the Heisman Trophy after passing for 4,293 yards and 37 touchdowns while rushing for 699 yards and 10 more scores.
Griffin III earned himself the No. 2 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft to the Washington Redskins and his first year lived up to the hype. He played in 15 games, going 9-6, and passed for 3,200 yards and 20 touchdowns with just five picks. RG3 also rushed for another 815 yards and seven scores.
As a dual-threat quarterback, there’s always the possibility that a hard hit, or low hit, from a defender, could cause a major injury. Such was the case at the end of his rookie year when low blows injured his ACL and LCL, forcing him to miss the playoffs.
In 2013, Griffin wasn’t running nearly as much to stay away from low hits and protect his knees. He passed for 3,203 yards and 16 touchdowns but just wasn’t the same type of quarterback. Head coach Mike Shanahan sat him out in the final three games in favor of Kirk Cousins to prevent an unnecessary injury.
The third-year quarterback dislocated his ankle in week two of the 2014 season, but then returned to start the final seven games of the year. He showed flashes of his old self, but the coaching staff decided to go in the direction of Cousins in 2015, effectively ending Griffin III’s career in Washington.
RG3 has since signed with the Browns and is looking to jumpstart his career, but staying healthy while getting knocked around by 250-pound guys on a regular basis is easier said than done. Plus, Cleveland is where quarterback’s careers go to die.
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