Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Robert Griffin III won’t be going for gold after all.
Griffin will not be competing for a spot on the 2026 USA flag football team, stepping away from the selection process. He announced the decision on X, citing a scheduling conflict tied to a prior commitment honoring military veterans.
“UPDATE: I’ve removed myself from the 2026 USA Football Team selection process,” Griffin posted. “A commitment honoring our military veterans is preventing me from attending training camp and that’s not fair to the other 23 guys competing for a spot this year. Looking forward to seeing the squad go to Germany and win Gold and still excited for LA28.”
USA Football acknowledged the departure with measured support. “We appreciate everything Robert brought to the team this cycle and how he represented USA Football,” a spokesperson told NBC Sports. “We’d welcome him back in the Trials process next year if he’s interested.”
Robert Griffin Was Named to Training Camp Roster for National Team
Griffin, 36, had announced on March 21 that he would pursue a spot on the national team. He was named to the 24-man training camp roster on March 26, one of four quarterbacks invited to compete for a position. The next training camp was scheduled for May 21-24 in Chula Vista, California.
The 24-man pool was working toward a 12-man roster that will represent the United States at the 16-team IFAF Flag Football World Championships in Germany, in August. Griffin had framed the 2026 World Championship cycle as a stepping stone toward the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, where flag football will make its Olympic debut.
The former Heisman Trophy winner was selected No. 2 overall by Washington in the 2012 NFL Draft out of Baylor. He earned Pro Bowl honors and AP Offensive Rookie of the Year recognition. But injuries upended his career. Griffin played for the Cleveland Browns in 2016 before finishing his NFL career with the Baltimore Ravens, where he last suited up in 2020.
Since retiring, Griffin has worked as a football analyst for ESPN and Fox Sports.
RG3 Weighs in on Browns Quarterback Competition
The Browns are trying to sort out their quarterback situation. Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders are competing for the starting job. Griffin weighed in on who he would go with as QB1 next season.
“If I was in the decision-making chair, who should be my starter? When we start in OTAs and we go to our first mandatory minicamp, I’m starting Shedeur Sanders. What they did with him at quarterback was they won games,” Griffin said. “When you step into the huddle, do you believe that you have a chance to win with the guy that is in the huddle with you at quarterback? The Cleveland Browns’ locker room believes they can win with Shedeur Sanders. They don’t believe they can win with Deshaun Watson. They don’t believe that they can win with Dillon Gabriel.”
Sanders started seven games as a rookie. The team went 3-4 with Sanders under center and he passed for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Ex-Browns QB Abruptly Steps Away From Latest Opportunity