Robert Griffin III had a disappointing sophomore season with the Washington Redskins for a number of reasons. First and foremost, he probably wasn’t healthy. Griffin didn’t play at all in the preseason while rehabbing from ACL surgery and his mobility was limited throughout most of the year. Looking back on 2013, Redskins president and general manager Bruce Allen almost sounds embarrassed.
During an interview with Al Coleman on ESPN 950 in Richmond Monday, Allen said RG3 faced an “impossible” task last season.
“What you saw last year was almost a little disrespectful to the game of football,” Allen said, via Michael Phillips of the Richmond Times-Dispatch. “It’s impossible to ask a player to perform well during the regular season if you haven’t practiced. Last year at this time, he’s still rehabbing his knee, he’s not allowed to practice, he’s not allowed to work in team drills at all because he’s still rehabilitating himself. We put him, really, on the spot by trying to do that.”
Griffin was not shy in voicing his displeasure over being held out of preseason play last year. He took part in very little live action before starting in Week 1, which in retrospect was a recipe for disaster.
While Allen admitted that playing in as many games as possible will probably help RG3 from an experience standpoint, he was quick to point out that the situation should be much more ideal heading into 2014.
“And this year he’s had a full offseason, his knee is 100 percent — knock on wood — and he’s had all of that, and that’s how you get ready to play a football season,” Allen said. “Maybe in basketball you can go out and just play in games, but in football, when you’re trying to synchronize 11 players on every play, you need to practice.”
Allen’s comments almost made it seem like the Redskins are blaming Mike Shanahan for the disaster that was the 2013 season. RG3 has already taken a couple of shots at the Shanahans since their departure, so it’s obvious everyone is relieved Jay Gruden is running the show. We’ll see if that lasts.
H/T DC Sports Bog
