Robert Griffin III had a terrifying scare on Friday. The former NFL quarterback was flying out of Houston, Texas, when one of the plane’s engines caught fire during takeoff. Thankfully, everyone aboard made it back safely.
Soon after the plane returned to the ground, Griffin opened up about the ordeal. He explained that shortly after leaving Houston, the aircraft’s right engine began to catch fire.
Robert Griffin III Survived a Near-Death Situation
“The right engine of our plane flying out of Houston caught fire just after take off,” he wrote on X. “We heard 15 straight loud bangs and immediately knew something was wrong.”
HTX Media later released additional footage showing the damaged engine after the plane landed.
Griffin also revealed that even with 15 loud bangs rattling through the cabin, the crew stayed quiet about what was actually unfolding.
The right engine of our plane flying out of Houston caught fire just after take off. We heard 15 straight loud bangs and immediately knew something was wrong.
Thankfully the pilots were able to get us and every passenger back safe and sound with zero injuries.
God is good. pic.twitter.com/wSK7Mxg7Ck
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) June 20, 2026
That silence likely kept full-blown panic from breaking out, even though passengers could sense danger in the air. Without official confirmation of the engine failure, fear lingered, but chaos never did.
BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM: PFN’s FREE NFL Mock Draft Simulator
For Griffin, the situation felt even scarier since he was seated right next to the compromised engine. “Thankfully the pilots were able to get us and every passenger back safe and sound with zero injuries,” he added. “God is good.”
The flight in question was United Airlines Flight 102, operated by a Boeing 777-200ER. It carried 267 passengers and 13 crew members and was originally bound for Munich, Germany.
However, after noticing they had lost an engine shortly after takeoff, the pilots quickly contacted the control tower. From there, the crew safely guided the plane back to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.
United Airlines also didn’t waste much time addressing the situation once Griffin’s post started gaining traction online.
“Thanks for reaching out. United flight 102 from Houston to Munich returned to George Bush Intercontinental Airport to address an engine issue,” the airline’s statement read. “The flight landed safely, and customers deplaned normally. We are arranging for another aircraft to take customers to their destination.”
PREDICT THE NFL SEASON: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
Given everything that unfolded on Friday, this engine scare likely pushed back Griffin’s arrival in Germany by quite a bit. Still, despite the chaos, Griffin and his fellow passengers appeared thankful just to have their feet back on solid ground.
However, this isn’t the first time Griffin has dodged a dangerous situation. Back in October 2025, he found himself in a car accident in Fort Worth, Texas, while his wife and kids rode along. Griffin described it as a frightening crash.
Their vehicle bounced off the highway’s divider, and both front tires blew out. While the children were unharmed, Grete required a CT scan for a head injury, Griffin had his back evaluated, and a passenger in another vehicle was hospitalized.
Talking about his recent ventures, Griffin is currently enjoying the FIFA World Cup and preparing for his second season as a Fox color commentator for college football. He made his debut back in 2025, and fans want more of him.
So let’s hope he has moved past this recent scare and comes back with a fresh perspective in his analysis.
