NFL: Ranking Quarterbacks who were one-hit wonders

NFL: Ranking Quarterbacks who were one-hit wonders: 5. Robert Griffin III

Robert Griffin III was a phenom when he was drafted by Washington with the second-overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. He took a Baylor team without a ton of expectations all the way to a 10-win season and he won the Heisman Trophy. He was electric in college throwing for 37 touchdowns and rushing for 10 more. Washington traded up to get Griffin with the second-overall pick, sending the Rams a bevy of picks to move up.

It looked like a risk worth taking right away. Griffin was an immediate success, playing extremely well in his first game under center against the New Orleans Saints. He led Washington to a 40-32 victory against one of the good teams in the NFC. It looked like Washington might be able to compete for a playoff spot, although it was really early to make those remarks.

Griffin was impossible to stop this season. His rushing ability kept defenses on their toes at all times, and his actual passing skill would hit players in stride for long touchdowns. Griffin finished the season with 20 touchdown passes, 5 interceptions, 815 yards rushing, and 7 rushing touchdowns. He led the Washington team to the playoffs, but that is where things unraveled. Against the Seattle Seahawks, Griffin severely injured his knee. He wanted to keep the momentum from his rookie season, so he worked extra hard to make it for Week 1 of the next season. That was a mistake.

Griffin clearly wasn’t the same, and his statistics showed. His interception numbers jumped from 5 to 12, his touchdowns throwing dropped from 20 to 16, and he went from 7 rushing touchdowns in 2012 to zero in 2013. He never enjoyed the same success, and he was eventually benched for Colt McCoy and then eventually Kirk Cousins. It’s a huge “what if” that will never get a true answer. If only Mike Shanahan told Griffin to wait a few games before returning in 2013, and he might have been more healthy for the rest of his career.