Robert Griffin III, Browns begin reclamation project together
The Cleveland Browns sure love them some Texas quarterbacks. And judging by their track record, that can’t be good news for former Baylor Heisman winner Robert Griffin III.
The Browns signed the 2012 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year to a two-year contract Thursday, Cleveland.com reported. The Browns have rolled through former Longhorn great Colt McCoy and Texas A&M Aggies Heisman winner Johnny Manziel. And might as well throw in Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden.
Now it’s Griffin’s turn to try to reignite a Browns franchise that has gained a reputation for being the most dysfunctional in all of sports, while also resurrecting his once promising career.
McCoy, who just signed a new deal to remain with Washington, recently, and politely, called his years in Cleveland, “an education,” in a story he wrote for The Players’ Tribune.
But who knows, maybe the mutual desperation of the Browns and Griffin will make this pairing work. Things really can’t get much worse for either.
The Browns hired Hue Jackson as the latest coach to try attempt to get this franchise out of the doghouse and rightfully return it to their determined fans who fill up the dog pound each Sunday.
And hopefully Griffin, who must prove after multiple knee injuries that he can regain enough athleticism to play the quarterback position in the way that made him great or that he has evolved enough to thrive as a pocket passer, has learned a few lessons along the way.
The first one might be to not throw teammates and coaches under the bus, and to keep his postgame comments brief. The other is to stay off Twitter, Instagram and what have you.
McCoy simply wasn’t physically ready to start in the NFL when the Browns needed him to. Manziel was simply a mess. Now we’ll see if Griffin has progressed enough physically and mentally to finally be the Texas who saves Cleveland.
This story was originally published March 24, 2016 at 12:46 PM with the headline "Robert Griffin III, Browns begin reclamation project together."