In a moment of thought late in the Redskins 38-20 defeat to the Green Bay Packers, a unnamed teammate told Robert Griffin III that the quarterback may need to change and become a more vocal and outspoken leader in an attempt to spark better execution with the team.
Since becoming a Washington Redskins player, Griffin has prided himself on the fact that he is a very motivational and positive leader and has held back as far as taking a harsher approach. Given the teams 0-2 start Griffin couldn’t help but find himself considering the advice seeing as the Redskins need to find something that works and leads to victories.
“I’m just not an – I’m not an ‘A. hole.’ I believe in positive reinforcement,” Griffin explained after the game. “If a guy, something happens, I know he’ll make it up next time he gets that chance, and that’s just the way I lead. If they want me to do that, I’m fine with doing that, because if they ask for it, if one of them asks for it – because it was just one – I’m willing to do it. If that’s what we need to get over this hump and start moving forward, and we start winning games, then I’m all for it.”
Griffin made light of the fact that he knows there is a fine line a quarterback must walk with his team starting out at 0-2, but he should also continue to be himself.
“Not necessarily change who I am as a person, but, if they want me to be hard on them, I’ll be hard on them,” Griffin said. “You start off 0-2 and it’s a little bit harder to go about that” without causing problems.
“I’m not going to ever tear someone down as a person. That’s just not who I am as a person. I’m not here to tear people down,” Griffin said.
Griffin also said “I’m not going to point the finger at anybody else. It doesn’t matter what goes on, on that field, I’m responsible for that. I’m the quarterback, everyone’s going to look at me, and that’s what I do. I have to take that. You have to be willing to take that, and we’ll be better, period. It’s all on me, and no matter what happens this next game, it’ll still be on me. And I will make it happen. We’ll figure it out. We’ll figure out whatever it is right now.
“If we’re not starting fast, then it’s my fault,” Griffin said. “If we come out in the second half and we’re playing well, then the team did a good job. I’m not afraid to say, ‘Put that on my shoulders.’ I’ll take that. We didn’t start fast because of me.”
