Fans streamed in to FedEx Field on April 26, 2012, eager to usher in a new day for their beloved Washington Redskins.
A woebegone franchise with a fan base starved for a winner, those fans, clad in burgundy and gold, couldn’t wait to celebrate. The team paid a bounty for the No. 2 overall pick in that night’s NFL draft, but it didn’t matter: With two cornerstone quarterbacks available, the Redskins were sure to strike it rich, seemingly setting themselves up for significant gains in the years to come.
Euphoria arose from every recess of the stadium when Robert Griffin III, the Heisman Trophy winner from Baylor, was revealed as the team’s selection. That feeling persisted two days later, when Griffin was introduced to the crowd at the stadium, and over the next several months, from Griffin’s first practices with the team through his bedazzling performances that fall en route to the Redskins’ first NFC East title in 13 years.
Griffin, the people’s quarterback, could do no wrong. He was a military brat with an eye on law school when his athletic talent carried him toward a career in professional football. When hardship struck that first season, as he sustained a right knee injury, the faith and support of the population nurtured him, keeping him focused and cheering on his recovery.
As Griffin soon learned, it doesn’t take much for the capital region to turn on its chosen leaders.
For the second time in as many years, Griffin will sit out the final stretch of the season, benched Wednesday by Redskins coach Jay Gruden because of futile performances in his last two games.
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Gruden’s predecessor, Mike Shanahan, did the same thing last December, choosing to keep Griffin on the sidelines for the last three games while Kirk Cousins took over as the starter.
This time, it’ll be a five-game audition for Colt McCoy, the journeyman quarterback who began the season third on the depth chart and played well for the Redskins in spot duty late last month. Unlike last season, when Rex Grossman served as Cousins’ backup and Griffin didn’t even dress for games, Griffin will be McCoy’s backup, leaving open the possibility that he will play again at some point this season.
The likelihood, however, is that Griffin has reached the end of the road in Washington.
“He’s a very smart guy, a bright guy, willing to learn, willing to work,” Gruden said Wednesday. “But for whatever reason, when he’s started here with me, we haven’t been very productive on offense. That’s the bottom line. We’re looking for more production out of the position, and we’re going to see if we have it in the building.”
Griffin has played in five games this season for the Redskins, who enter Sunday’s game at Indianapolis having won just three of 11. He dislocated his left ankle in the first quarter of a game against Jacksonville on Sept. 14 and missed six weeks, returning for the team’s game at Minnesota on Nov. 2.
His performances in the following three games were shaky at best. Never fundamentally sound within Gruden’s offense, Griffin degenerated under the weight of his responsibilities, frequently making fundamental mistakes — including misreading defenses, butchering his footwork, failing to step into his throws and flubbing his progressions.
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On Monday, a day after the Redskins lost 17-13 at San Francisco — a game in which Griffin and the offense had two opportunities to lead a go-ahead drive in the final three minutes — Gruden waffled at the notion of Griffin as his starting quarterback.
A day later, he made the change, informing Griffin, McCoy and Cousins of his plan.
“Robert’s a pro,” said McCoy, who signed a one-year contract with the Redskins in April. “He’s done a great job. That’s a hard decision, and it’s just a hard thing. He’s handled it great and been a great teammate. I didn’t expect anything less from him.”
Griffin, who was not permitted by the team to speak to reporters on Wednesday, faces an uncertain future in Washington. He’s scheduled to make a base salary of $3.27 million next season — a sum that, compared to other quarterbacks around the league, is still relatively modest.
The real decision must come by May, when the team must exercise its 2016 option on Griffin’s contract. If the Redskins pick it up, they’d be on the hook for a number in excess of $16 million, which would make him far and away their highest-paid player.
That’s a sum most teams couldn’t afford — yet with the amount of effort invested in Griffin, the Redskins have already paid a steep price.
“I’m hoping it helps toughen him up [and] it helps fuel the fire in his belly,” Gruden said. “He’s not happy about the change, nor should he be. And I don’t want him to be happy about it. I want him to come out here and work harder and prepare harder, and when his time comes again he’s ready to roll.”
• Zac Boyer can be reached at zboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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