Robert Griffin III, the Washington Redskins’ dynamic quarterback, repeated his intention to wait until his reconstructed right knee has fully healed before returning to action.
In a statement to ESPN Tuesday night, he also said he and members of the organization have a better understanding of how they should have handled his injury last season.
Griffin sent ESPN anchor Trey Wingo a text message that read:
“My knee is getting better every day. The doctors say I’m ahead of schedule. My goal is to return healthy in week one, but if I’m not ready then I will wait until I am, however long that is. My first NFL season and my injury that ended it showed me a lot about the league, my team and myself. I know where my responsibility is within the dilemma that led to me having surgery to repair my knee and all parties involved know their responsibilities as well. I’m looking forward to playing the game we all love so much again and not behind at the negative. Thanks for the overwhelming level of support that I’ve received, sic ’em Bears and hail to the Redskins!!”
Griffin’s comments came three days after James Andrews — who performed the surgery to revise the reconstruction of Griffin’s anterior cruciate ligament and repair his torn lateral collateral ligament and meniscus — told ESPN that Griffin’s recovery had been “unbelievable,” and described the player as “superhuman.”
When reached for additional comment Tuesday night, Griffin declined to discuss his recovery.
Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said last week at the NFL owner meetings that although Griffin is making great strides, no one knows whether the quarterback will be able to play in the season opener. Shanahan maintained the belief that the team had handled Griffin properly in granting his wish to remain in the NFC wild card game against the Seattle Seahawks, despite his knee injury.
“You rely on your doctors and you rely on the player. … He earned the right to stay in the game. He earned the right. And that’s why he was in there,” Shanahan said.
Read more: Washington Post
