Ex-Ravens QB Robert Griffin III warms up before game with Steelers.
Former Baltimore Ravens QB Robert Griffin III got into a social media war with his former coach Jay Gruden on Monday, January 15 that carried throughout the week. The conflict between the two was ignited during the playoff game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
While watching Eagles QB Jalen Hurts get chased around, Jay Gruden posted on his X (formerly Twitter), “If I ever put a QB through what Philly is putting Jalen through, I apologize. Pick up a blitz!”
If I ever put a QB through what Philly is putting Jalen through , I apologize. Pick up a blitz !
His replies were flooded with comments about how that is what he did to Griffin and tagging Griffin’s X account.
Griffin responded with a picture of himself and wrote, “Say WHATTTT???” However, it did not end there between the two.
Gruden immediately fired back, “U weren’t prepared Robert?” This prompted Griffin to respond with, “You told me you didn’t know how to coach a QB who could throw and run like me, so looks like you weren’t prepared Jay.”
Gruden unleashed a fiery response that has since been deleted, writing, “You weren’t good enough. Kirk [Cousins] was better. Cleveland [Browns] didn’t want you. Baltimore did either. Quit blaming me.”
Jay Gruden & Robert Griffin’s Relationship Has Always Been Rocky
Gruden took over the Washington Commanders (then the Redskins) head coaching job in 2014, which was Griffin’s third year with Washington.
Griffin dove into his relationship with Gruden during his podcast, “The Ones,” but to him, there was one memory that stood out above the rest.
He said, “There was a moment in D.C. that is vividly remembered. Jay Gruden went to a press conference, and he undressed me at that press conference in a way that a coach should never undress his starting quarterback.”
Dear @Coach_JayGruden
Full story 📺 t.co/1doiGV9ewS
Griffin had given a press conference where he talked about “The best guys in the NFL having guys around them.” The QB talks about being picked apart by the media and even his head coach for “throwing his teammates under the bus.”
However, something that Griffin revealed was that these comments were at the behest of Gruden. “What people don’t know is that the only reason I went to that press conference and said what I said to challenge my teammates through that press conference was because Jay Gruden asked me to do that,” Griffin said.
According to Griffin, what hurt the most was not being supported and being thrown under the bus by his own coach.
Griffin said Gruden had, “Zero integrity.” Griffin lost his job in 2015 to Cousins due to injury and never was given a shot to regain the job.
Washington and Gruden released Griffin following the 2015 season.
Robert Griffin’s Rookie Year May Have Changed His Career’s Trajectory
Griffin was drafted No. 2 overall by Washington in 2012 when the head coach was Mike Shanahan.
He was an immediate game-changer for Washington and helped lead the team to an NFC East division title. Griffin was a Pro-Bowler and won the Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Griffin injured his knee during his rookie year in a game against the Ravens that would lead to controversy.
Going back and watching RG3 rookie year highlights. Dude was amazing before his injury.
I don’t see any reason the #Bears can’t duplicate that success in a similar scheme with Justin Fields. Think Fields has a stronger frame and more durability than RG3, too.
Billy Heyen wrote an article detailing Griffin’s injury history on The Sporting News, “Griffin took a hit directly to his right knee. … He remained in the game and was visibly limping around the field. Only about a month later did USA Today report that Dr. James Andrews hadn’t given permission for Griffin to stay in the game.”
Griffin would seriously injure his knee against the Seattle Seahawks in a playoff loss that would alter his career with a torn ACL and LCL.
Griffin spent three more seasons with Washington before joining the Browns for a year. He then joined the Ravens in 2018 where he was part of a QB consisting of Joe Flacco and rookie Lamar Jackson.
Griffin backed up Jackson for the next two years and ultimately finished his career in 2020.