With Jayden Daniels sidelined by an elbow injury, speculation about a possible Robert Griffin III return has picked up fast, and the former Commanders quarterback himself has now weighed in, addressing the idea directly instead of dodging the question. Robert Griffin III knows exactly what it would look like if he suits up for Washington again, and he isn’t shying away from saying so.
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When a fan on social media brought up the possibility of him suiting up for his old team again, RGIII didn’t brush it off.
“@acticinematics would be a movie. I believe in Jayden Daniels,” RGIII replied to a comment on his Instagram post.
That last part matters too. Even while entertaining the fantasy of a comeback, he’s still backing the guy currently under center in D.C. And this isn’t just internet chatter for Griffin. He’s been open about coming back in the league. In an Instagram video from a practice session, he shared that his daughters have been asking to see him play again.
“My Girls said they want to see Daddy play football again, so tell your favorite team to call 📞,” RGIII posted a video on Instagram.
The comments under that post were filled with suggestions for teams, with Washington being one of them.
Around the same time, Griffin spoke up after the Falcons’ 34-3 loss to the Panthers in Week 2. He pointed out how inconsistent quarterback play has been lately, naming Cooper Rush and Jack Strand, and asked why teams weren’t calling on more experienced players when their starter gets hurt.
He put himself in that mix too, along with veterans like Cam Newton, Jimmy Garoppolo and Ryan Tannehill, saying they could bring “the veteran presence in the room to stabilize teams when their QB goes down.”
Believing in yourself is one thing, but getting a team actually to sign you is another. Griffin hasn’t played in the NFL since December 2020, wrapping up three seasons with the Ravens. Before that, a shoulder injury cut his 2016 season in Cleveland short after just five starts.
Washington selected RGIII second overall in 2012, and he won Offensive Rookie of the Year. That was a long time ago, and at 36, that gap is his biggest hurdle now.
Meanwhile, it’s easy to see why his name keeps coming up. Jayden Daniels dislocated his left elbow on the final play of the first half, right after a strong two-play stretch in Sunday’s 37-20 loss to Dallas.
Coach Dan Quinn confirmed the injury afterward, and Marcus Mariota is now set to start in his place, beginning with this week’s game against Seattle.
There’s still uncertainty about how long Daniels will be out. Ian Rapoport reported that the team was deciding whether to place him on injured reserve.
“Daniels is dealing with a dislocated left elbow, the second time in a couple of years this has happened,” Rapoport said. “He has been soliciting opinions from experts.”
“Going to have to come to a decision late this week, and really, it’s going to be this: does he go on injured reserve or not? If he does go on injured reserve, he’s out four games. If he does not, then the thought is he could come back a little earlier than that.” Rapoport said.
It’s worth noting Daniels dealt with a similar elbow injury last season and missed three games because of it.
For a team already sitting at 0-2 and walking into a home opener against the reigning Super Bowl champs, the timing couldn’t be worse. Quinn didn’t sugarcoat it either.
“0-2 is not where we wanted to be; that’s for sure,” Quinn said. “But we also are resolute that that’s not where we’re going to be staying.”
With Daniels sidelined and Washington already 0-2, all eyes now turn to how Mariota handles the moment, and whether an RGIII reunion really has legs.