Robert Griffin III, known for his electric start in the NFL, was once seen as the league’s future at quarterback. Drafted second overall in 2012, his career spanned multiple teams, with each stop marking a different chapter in a turbulent professional journey.
Robert Griffin III’s NFL Journey From No. 2 Overall Pick to AFC Backup
1. Washington Commanders
Griffin’s rise began at Baylor University, where his junior season drew attention from NFL scouts. Early on, he wasn’t viewed as a first-round pick, but by midseason, he had emerged as the top quarterback prospect behind only Andrew Luck.
The St. Louis Rams, who held the No. 2 pick, traded it to Washington in exchange for a hefty package of draft picks.
Washington selected Griffin second overall, making him the first Baylor quarterback taken that high since 1950. He wore No. 10 with “Griffin III” on the back — thanks to a 2012 NFL rule change allowing generational suffixes. He signed a four-year, $21.1 million contract.
Griffin’s rookie season in 2012 was historic. He was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week in his debut and earned NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
He set rookie records in passer rating (102.4) and touchdown-to-interception ratio (4:1). Despite a midseason concussion and a later LCL sprain, Griffin led Washington to its first playoff appearance since 2007. He reinjured his knee in the Wild Card game and required ACL and LCL surgery.
#RG3 💪 pic.twitter.com/dGHWcPVzm1
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders)
The 2013 season was a setback. After missing the preseason, Griffin struggled and was shut down for the final three games. In 2014, he dislocated his left ankle in Week 2, missed several games, and the team later benched him. He returned to start the season’s final games but finished 2–5 as a starter.
In 2015, Griffin suffered a preseason concussion and was eventually demoted to third string. He stayed inactive all year and was released by Washington on March 7, 2016.
2. Cleveland Browns
Griffin then signed with the Cleveland Browns. Named the starter in 2016, he suffered a shoulder injury in Week 1 and was placed on injured reserve. He returned late in the season but played in just five games. The Browns released him in March 2017.
3. Baltimore Ravens
After sitting out 2017, Griffin signed with the Baltimore Ravens in 2018. He served as a backup to Joe Flacco and Lamar Jackson. In 2019, he re-signed on a two-year deal, suffered a thumb injury, and returned in time for Week 1.
He started in Week 17 and again in Week 12 of the 2020 season while Jackson was out with COVID-19. Later that year, he was placed on injured reserve and eventually waived in January 2021. He officially retired in August of the same year.
Griffin’s NFL career, once full of promise, ended with him in a backup role after injuries and inconsistency altered his path.