Robert Griffin III Praises Rookie Quarterbacks for Handling NFL Expectations

Robert Griffin III may not have had the best career in the NFL, but it remains a memorable one for fans to look back on.

He entered the NFL following a spectacular collegiate career at Baylor. He won the Heisman Trophy as a senior, posting 291 completed passes for 4,293 yards and 37 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2011.

After getting drafted by the Washington Redskins (now Commanders) in the 2012 Draft, his momentum kept going. He established league records for the highest rookie passer rating and touchdown-to-interception ratio, guiding the Redskins to their first division championship since 1999 winning Offensive Rookie of the Year and Pro Bowl honors.

Unfortunately, following severe injuries, Griffin III was never able to regain his peak form, bouncing around the league until he retired in 2020. Nonetheless, his rookie year is frequently remembered for being one of the best in NFL history.

He recently spoke to SB Nation's NFL Writer JP Acosta in an exclusive interview , going over multiple topics from Call of Duty and the NFL among other things.

Acosta asked Griffin about his rookie season in the NFL, going over how the former star shouldered the weight of expectations after sustaining major success in college. He followed that up by explaining that he's been teaching rookie quarterbacks Bo Nix and Jayden Daniels about how to have a solid career in the league.

"We’ve seen two of the young guys get named the starter Bo Nix in Denver and, Jayden Daniels with the Washington Commanders and the way that they’ve approached it. I mentor both guys and have a great relationship with them, they approach it the right way," Griffin III said.

"You go in, you put in the work and you prove to these guys who aren’t 18, 21, 22 year old kids. Some of these guys are 29, 30, 34 years old with five kids, you know? They got a mortgage to pay, all these things are different opposed to a 19 year old who just got paid a million bucks in NIL and buying brand new Jordans...it’s more about connecting with them, showing them that you’ll put in the work, right? So I think Bo Nix and Jayden Daniels did that the right way. They didn’t talk a big game, they just let their work do the talking for them and they won over their teammates that way, consistency with how they prepare, how they come to practice and that’s how you lead when you’re a young guy."

He later mentioned Caleb Williams and Drake Maye as other rookie quarterbacks who has adapted well in the NFL, crediting their work ethic as well as the aforementioned Nix and Daniels.

"The beauty, the blessing and the curse of playing the quarterback position is that only one guy plays, right? So every guy in that room at some point in their life was that guy. So when you come into that room, you have to present yourself that way," Griffin III said.

"I don’t think they had any reservation with Bo Nix or Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye or any of these young guys, Caleb Williams, that’s probably the other one I missed, he’s definitely been named a starter, but they went in and they showed it with their work ethic with how they throw the ball, with how they come into the building every single day, and that’s the best way to do it for long term success."

Expectations will be lofty on all these rookie quarterbacks, but Griffin III has immense confidence in them succeeding as they prepare for the 2024 regular season beginning in September.

Related: Robert Griffin III Didn't Hesitate When Naming Favorite NFL Player to Play Call of Duty With