With Robert Griffin III’s return to the starting quarterback job all but certain, the question for the Redskins will shift from when will Griffin return to what kind of quarterback he’ll be when he’s back in the lineup.
Ever since Griffin has joined the team, there has been a tug-of-war between those that think he needs to tone down his running for the sake of safety as he becomes a more “traditional” quarterback and those that think his best path to success is being the same type of quarterback he’s been throughout his career. That debate was in the spotlight this preseason as Griffin appeared to struggle while making the transition to head coach Jay Gruden’s offensive scheme, which called for him to run less than he did in the Shanahan years.
Griffin gave an interview to the team’s website, his first since Gruden said he’ll start on Sunday barring any setbacks, and shared some of his thoughts on the matter.
“I’m ready to go, ready to play, get back out there with the guys and have fun. That’s what it is,” Griffin said. “God didn’t put us on this earth to be normal. So I’m not gonna go out there and try to be a normal quarterback. I’m gonna go out there and be the quarterback he’s called me to be.”
Whether he’s a “normal” quarterback or not, the Redskins need to figure out if he’s the right quarterback for them over the long term. That’s why he’ll return to the starting lineup despite Colt McCoy handling things well the last two weeks and it will be the biggest question to answer over the second half of Washington’s season.