It has been nearly six years since Robert Griffin III last played an NFL snap. But the 36-year-old former quarterback insists his playing days might not be over, telling the Double Coverage podcast with Zach Hirsch that he is receiving calls from interested teams.
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The comments come on the heels of his appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, where he first teased that a comeback was “percolating.” This time he went further and said teams have already called.
“I’ve had a couple teams reach out and just gauge my interest to see if I’m serious about it,” Griffin revealed on the Double Coverage podcast. “The UFLs actually reached out as well, and they want me to come play in the league…They’re actually talking to me right now, trying to convince me to come play in the UFL. So, I thought my playing career was over, but apparently there’s some prospects out there in the NFL and the UFL that maybe I go back and play. We’ll see.”
In September, Griffin posted an Instagram video online of himself throwing into nets while one of his daughters moved the target. His caption said his daughters wanted to see him play again. So he told his fans to urge their favorite teams to call if they wished to see him on the field.
UFL made sure to take notice of Griffin’s post, sharing it on X with wide-eyed emojis. The 2027 season starts in March next year.
Griffin’s claim of teams showing interest has a history. In 2021, he told ESPN’S Adam Schefter that multiple teams had called him to check on his interest and status. In 2022, after a 4.48-second 40-yard dash at Rich Eisen’s charity event, Griffin said he “got some calls,” and named Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons and Chicago Bears as teams he liked.
Even in 2023, he said teams contacted him in mid-August. None worked out. On Dan Patrick, he said conversations are happening, but the opportunity might be right.
Griffin never announced a retirement or gave a reason for stopping. Injuries ended his career after a Haloti Ngata hit late in his rookie year led to a torn ACL and LCL. A shoulder injury limited him to five starts with the Cleveland Browns in 2016. A hamstring injury put him on injured reserve in December 2020, and the Baltimore Ravens waived him in 2021.
He joined ESPN in August 2021 and said the network supported him by understanding that he still wishes to play. He moved to Fox Sports in 2025 and says he loves the job.
So the calls remain unverified. Griffin is awaiting the right opportunity, and the UFL appears to have the clearest opening with April approaching. Until a team names itself or sends an offer, “teams are calling” remains a claim, not a comeback.