Redskins Officially Shutdown RGIII
The Washington Redskins have officially shutdown Robert Griffin III for the 2013 season, and will start Kirk Cousins at quarterback Sunday against Atlanta.
Robert Griffin’s reaction to benching: “Coach decided to shut me down for the rest of the season.. I expressed my desire to play.” #Redskins
— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) December 11, 2013
RG3 on what Shanahan told him: “He just wanted to make sure that I got to the offseason free of injury so that I can have a good offseason.” — Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) December 11, 2013
Robert Griffin: “I’m going to take what coach has decided and roll with it and just try to find ways to help this team win.” #Redskins — Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) December 11, 2013
Cousins will be making his second NFL start. He started and won a game at Cleveland late last season when Griffin, then also a rookie, was hurt. He also played in the late stages of last Sunday’s 45-10 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs at FedEx Field.
Kirk doesn’t believe shutting down Griffin for the rest of the season changes RG3’s role as the teams franchise quarterback.
Cousins: at the end of the day this is Robert’s team … He is the franchise quarterback — John Keim (@john_keim) December 11, 2013
Cousins says he hasn’t been told if the plan is for him to start the next three games, or if it will be evaluated each week. #RedskinsTalk — Tarik El-Bashir (@TarikCSN) December 11, 2013
Shanahan said Monday that he was considering sitting down Griffin for the remainder of the season to protect the quarterback after he absorbed 24 sacks in the Redskins’ past five games.
The head coach said Wednesday that he asked Daniel Snyder and Bruce Allen both for their assurances that benching Griffin was the right thing to do.
#Redskins Mike Shanahan: says he went to Dan and Bruce and got their assurances that this was right thing to do.
— Chris Russell (@Russellmania980) December 11, 2013
Shanahan said another injury and missing another offseason would be “devastating” for #RG3. #RedskinsTalk
— Tarik El-Bashir (@TarikCSN) December 11, 2013
Griffin had thrown 16 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions this season after throwing 20 touchdown passes with only five interceptions last season, when he was named the NFL’s offensive rookie of the year.
RG3 will be officially listed as inactive for the rest of the season and Rex Grossman will be the number two quarterback, at least for the time being.
Is Shanahan sure he'll be back next year: "That's Dan's decision at the end of this year.. My job is to do the right thing." #Redskins
— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) December 11, 2013
Shanahan said he would not use benching Griffin as an attempt to get fired considering he talked to Snyder about the decision.
— Zac Boyer (@ZacBoyer) December 11, 2013
Many have speculated that Shanahan making the move of benching Griffin could be his way of trying to get fired so he can collect the last year of his contract without having to spend anymore time with the franchise. At this point in the conversation that’s simply speculation, but the head coach of the Washington Redskins is on the hot seat, and the temperature seems to be rising by the day….stay tuned.
