Robert Griffin III’s push to become a head coach could soon move from public campaigning to a job interview.
Baylor is expected to interview the former Cleveland Browns quarterback for its head coaching vacancy, On3’s Pete Nakos reported Friday. Griffin has openly pursued the opportunity to return to the school where he won the 2011 Heisman Trophy.
The Fox Sports analyst has no college or NFL coaching experience, but he has argued that his connection to Baylor and ability to lead a program should carry weight in the search.
“If I was making all the decisions, the decision would have already been made, right?” Griffin told Front Office Sports Tonight last month.
Baylor fired Dave Aranda on Oct. 25 and named defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman its interim coach for the remainder of the season. Athletic director Doug McNamee is overseeing the search. Griffin previously said he had spoken with McNamee.
Robert Griffin III Has Stayed Vocal About Browns Quarterbacks
Griffin’s college success with the Bears helped make him the No. 2 pick in the 2012 NFL draft. He won Offensive Rookie of the Year with Washington before eventually getting another starting opportunity in Cleveland.
His Browns tenure lasted one season. Griffin started five games in 2016, completing 87 of 147 passes for 886 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. He also rushed for 190 yards and two scores before Cleveland released him the following offseason.
He later played for Baltimore and moved into broadcasting, working for ESPN before joining Fox. As recently as September, Griffin was also pushing for an NFL playing comeback.
Griffin has continued weighing in on Cleveland’s quarterback decisions. After Shedeur Sanders’ first start of the season against New Orleans, Griffin backed the second-year passer for a starting opportunity.
“Shedeur Sanders should be a starting QB in the NFL,” Griffin wrote on X.
Sanders threw for 297 yards and two touchdowns in the overtime loss. Cleveland subsequently restored Deshaun Watson to the starting role for Sunday’s game against Houston.
RG3 Also Backed Another Baylor Coaching Candidate
Griffin has built his Baylor pitch around more than his playing resume. In his Front Office Sports interview, he emphasized program leadership and recruiting connections in Texas.
“The coaching in college is no longer about who calls plays,” Griffin said. “It’s about being a CEO and being able to manage not only the pressure, but also building a culture of winning. And to me, at Baylor University, that can only happen if somebody with somebody who knows what it looks like to win at Baylor.
His interest has not stopped him from supporting other candidates. During an October appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, Griffin mentioned Boise State’s Spencer Danielson and UTSA’s Jeff Traylor as options, along with USC’s Lincoln Riley. More recently, he offered Klanderman a conditional endorsement.
Baylor won its first two games under Klanderman, beating UCF and Iowa State to improve to 6-3. That leaves the interim coach with an opportunity to strengthen his own candidacy while the school evaluates outside options.
The Bears finish the regular season against BYU, Texas Tech and Houston.
Former Browns QB Expected to Interview for Head Coaching Job