Robert Griffin III, the Washington Redskins’ star quarterback who struggled to regain his rookie form after a torn ACL, said he would abandon the cumbersome knee brace that he complained limited his mobility.
“Me, [Redskins head trainer] Larry [Hess], Dr. [James] Andrews, [Redskins team physician Anthony] Casolaro, we’ll all sit down—[Redskins orthopedic physician Chris] Annunziata and all those guys—and figure it out,” Griffin said. “But I think it’s safe to say I won’t be wearing the brace.”
Doing so would be an indication that Griffin has confidence that his knee is solid. Griffin will spend two weeks working out with Terry Shea, the quarterback’s coach who worked with him before the 2012 draft.
Griffin received the Ed Block Award for the Redskins, an acknowledgement he said mattered to him.
“It was a tough year,” he said. “We didn’t win a lot of games, [so] it’s truly a testament to my teammates to show me that they still have faith in me, to show me that they appreciate what I had to go through last year coming back from the injury, and all the turmoil during the season. That’s special to me.”
Griffin tore multiple ligaments in his right knee during a playoff loss to Seattle in January 2013. He wore a brace on the knee throughout last season, but it was widely believed Griffin would need it for only one year.
Griffin was not as explosive in 2013, whether it was due to the knee or the brace itself. He mentioned a couple of times last season that the brace would be one-and-done, just as it was in college after he tore his ACL.
He struggled last season, partly because his mobility was compromised, partly because he did not play in any exhibition games, and partly because his offensive line was inferior in pass protection.
He was benched for the final three games by then-coach Mike Shanahan, who said it was because he wanted to make sure Griffin was healthy in the offseason.
He finished with 16 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions and 489 rushing yards as the Redskins finished 3-13. As a rookie, he had 20 touchdown passes and only five interceptions and rushed for 815 yards in leading Washington to the NFC East title.
Griffin already has had a strong start to the offseason, throwing to some of his receivers away from Redskins Park. He’ll work out in Arizona later this month with a number of skill position players from the team.
