In 2012, the Washington Redskins, now the Commanders, traded their top picks to move up to number 2 in the draft. They had their eyes fixed on 2011 Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III. Wearing the Roman numeral ‘Griffin III’ on his back, the former QB won Offensive Player of the Week for his debut game. Robert’s rookie year was everything a debutant would dream of. Griffin racked up weekly and monthly rookie honors and eventually walked away with the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. And who could forget that 76-yard touchdown run in Week 6 against the Vikings? At the time, it was the longest ever by a quarterback in NFL history.

In 2021, after injuries slowed him down, Griffin was waived by the Ravens, who had signed him in 2017. The former QB couldn’t find another team after that, putting a pause on his career. So, RGIII swapped his helmet for a headset, jumping into broadcasting. After that, the 35-year-old has said time and again that he’d suit up in a heartbeat if the opportunity showed up. And now, in his latest TikTok video, Robert Griffin III has seemingly put the NFL on notice. The former QB is seen back on the gridiron, practicing throws, and asking fans a bold question, “I got one more in me 👀 Should I come out of retirement chat?”

That alone sparked buzz, but what really hit home was the voiceover playing in the background. In it, Griffin says, “I don’t care who’s doing better than me. I’m not in competition with anyone else. The only rival I have is the person I was yesterday. Last year, I was different. I’ve grown. I’ve learned. And that’s what truly matters. It’s me versus you.”

The former NFL QB’s career looked promising when he debuted. But sadly, early injuries and strained relationships with the coaching staff and team management led to an abrupt end to his journey.

Why Robert Griffin III never got his full shot

Griffin’s struggle with injuries started in his debut year itself. As a rookie, the QB suffered an LCL (lateral collateral ligament) injury in his right knee during the Wild Card game against the Seahawks. Griffin had earlier suffered an ACL injury in the same knee during his college career at Baylor. That worsened the situation. In the 2013 season, Washington’s coaching and medical staff cleared Griffin to play, but several reports claimed that the QB was still struggling with the injuries. All this led to Griffin’s recurring knee issues affecting his mobility.

But that was not the only thing that derailed the former Heisman winner’s career. There were other tensions within the team. As per reports, RGIII’s relationship with HC Mike Shanahan was quite strained. There were claims that Mike wanted to control Griffin’s playing style. The HC was forcing Griffin to be more of a traditional pocket passer rather than the dynamic dual-threat quarterback he was.

The QB’s relationship with his teammates, too, was not all sunshine and rainbows, as per reports. In 2014, the former QB dislocated his left ankle in Week 2 of the season. The 2015 season was the last one Robert played with Washington, signing with the Browns for two years. But sadly, Griffin’s struggle with injuries continued during his time in Cleveland as well. His last attempt to revive his career was when he signed with the Ravens in 2017, but that couldn’t work out either, as the team drafted Lamar Jackson the following year.

After serving as a backup QB and playing some games as a starter, Griffin was waived by Baltimore in 2021, ending his career abruptly. And just like that injuries and team drama cut short what could have been a legendary career. But one that’s continued in front of a mic.