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RGIII's special privileges taken away
Sporting News
Rana Cash, Sporting News
3 hrs ago

Being an NFL quarterback quite naturally has its perks. Up until now, being Robert Griffin III has meant enjoying special benefits, too, for the Washington Redskins.

Not anymore.

The tension between RGIII and coach Jay Gruden is at a boiling point and Sunday, more evidence of that was brought to light.

According to NFL.com reporter Ian Rapoport, Griffin has lost certain privileges, such as his wife no longer being allowed at training camp practices — just as the wives of other players are not allowed.

And there's more:

The landscape has changed for RGIII. No more special rules for him, including his family essentially having all-access to the facility. — Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 23, 2014

Redskins' officials have supported Gruden's tough-guy stance on RGIII. That included plenty of critical comments of Griffin's performance.

"He's auditioned long enough. Clock's ticking. He's got to play," Gruden said. "We want Robert to excel, we really do. But the last two games, it hasn't been very good, anywhere. We got to play better around him. And the biggest thing for us as play-callers, and for him, we just have to come together and jell with plays he's comfortable with. That takes time. But we don't have a lot of time."
 

Dodger12

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Never understood a coach calling out his QB in the media. Gruden won't be long for an NFL HC position at this rate. Taking away the perks is one thing, but making public statements is another.
 
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Not saying that Gruden is anywhere close to the coach that Parcells was, but Parcells was known to call out his players (including his QB) in the media.

At this point, is anyone sure that RGIII is salvageable?

I'm guessing that Gruden believes that he needs an exit strategy for RGIII.
 

ThoughtExperiment

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On the one hand, Gruden is right about RG3's fundamentals. Saw him play some yesterday for the first time in a while and he looks skittish and unsure of himself, and his footwork is lousy.

On the other hand, I don't know that Gruden has the skins on the wall to come out and blast his QB like this. What he said was beyond what Parcells has said -- this is more like declaring war on your own QB. Seems like it would be better to be more PC in public and say all this stuff behind closed doors. Almost feels like Gruden is calling him out to try to save himself.

Said it before the year started, but we really don't know if Gruden is a good HC or not. He's never been one except in arena league, and it doesn't seem like the Bengals miss him much on offense.
 
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I kind of feel bad for RG3.

Gruden's trying to force him into being something he's not... a pure pocket passer. He's someone who should be using his legs as a weapon. Maybe not running the ball as much, but at least moving out of the pocket some. All Gruden wants him to do is drop back and throw it. He's just not that type of QB. Griffin doesn't look like he feels pressure very well. It doesn't seem like he has the ability to slide in the pocket away from pressure. He can escape the pocket and run from it, but it looks like he's been coached not to do that.

I get trying to protect him from further injury and trying to decrease the number of runs he has. But the reason they traded up and drafted RG3 at number 2 was because he was electrifying, not because he was a prototypical NFL QB. You're not doing your team or him any service in trying to make him into a pocket passer.

I love that Washington is fucking it up so bad, but I think RG3 is a good dude for the most part.
 

Dodger12

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I wouldn't be opposed to bringing him in as a back up next year if he falls completely out of favor in Washington. Of course, he'd have the monumental task of beating out Weeden for the back-up job.......
 

Doomsday

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I kind of feel bad for RG3.

Gruden's trying to force him into being something he's not... a pure pocket passer. He's someone who should be using his legs as a weapon. Maybe not running the ball as much, but at least moving out of the pocket some. All Gruden wants him to do is drop back and throw it. He's just not that type of QB. Griffin doesn't look like he feels pressure very well. It doesn't seem like he has the ability to slide in the pocket away from pressure. He can escape the pocket and run from it, but it looks like he's been coached not to do that.

I get trying to protect him from further injury and trying to decrease the number of runs he has. But the reason they traded up and drafted RG3 at number 2 was because he was electrifying, not because he was a prototypical NFL QB. You're not doing your team or him any service in trying to make him into a pocket passer.

I love that Washington is fucking it up so bad, but I think RG3 is a good dude for the most part.
His schtick simply will not work in the NFL, is all. He doesn't possess the ability or apparently the desire to learn the position. If they want to make him electrifying again, and long term, probably HoF electrifying - they need to put him in the best position to succeed, which is slot receiver. Not quarterback.
 
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His schtick simply will not work in the NFL, is all. He doesn't possess the ability or apparently the desire to learn the position. If they want to make him electrifying again, and long term, probably HoF electrifying - they need to put him in the best position to succeed, which is slot receiver. Not quarterback.
There's more than one way to be successful as a QB. He's got the ability to be a good one. He's been a good one in the past. He doesn't have the ability to be a specific type of NFL QB, but if that were the only way to be a successful NFL QB, there wouldn't be near as many successful QBs in the league.
 

bbgun

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I have no problem with Gruden calling him out as he did. Shanahan got fed up with the kid's bullshit and his successor didn't want to become another casualty. Considering Snyder treats RG3 like a son, it was the height of bravery on Gruden's part. And he only did so because RG3 pointed the finger of blame at his teammates following the debacle vs Tampa Bay. Even if that were factually correct, QBs can't do that. Hell, to this day, Staubach still takes the blame for Jackie Smith's drop in SB13. Sometimes leaders have to fall on their sword to protect others.

Guys like Staubach and Steve Young started out as running QBs who transitioned into formidable pocket passers, so I wouldn't give up on RG3 just yet. Getting sacked 11 times in two games isn't helping his progression, either.
 

bbgun

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I get trying to protect him from further injury and trying to decrease the number of runs he has. But the reason they traded up and drafted RG3 at number 2 was because he was electrifying, not because he was a prototypical NFL QB. You're not doing your team or him any service in trying to make him into a pocket passer.

There was a 3rd and 13 play yesterday where Gruden called a designed RG3 run right up the middle (which the Niners snuffed out), so they haven't totally abandoned that part of his game.
 
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There was a 3rd and 13 play yesterday where Gruden called a designed RG3 run right up the middle (which the Niners snuffed out), so they haven't totally abandoned that part of his game.
Wow, didn't see that. Seems like a pretty shitty thing for Gruden to do. 3rd and 13? Did they call any other QB runs?
 

bbgun

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perhaps, but this was the most noticeable one

[video=youtube;RtgEKg3bVto]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtgEKg3bVto[/video]
 

ThoughtExperiment

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I kind of feel bad for RG3.

Gruden's trying to force him into being something he's not... a pure pocket passer. He's someone who should be using his legs as a weapon. Maybe not running the ball as much, but at least moving out of the pocket some. All Gruden wants him to do is drop back and throw it. He's just not that type of QB. Griffin doesn't look like he feels pressure very well. It doesn't seem like he has the ability to slide in the pocket away from pressure. He can escape the pocket and run from it, but it looks like he's been coached not to do that.

I get trying to protect him from further injury and trying to decrease the number of runs he has. But the reason they traded up and drafted RG3 at number 2 was because he was electrifying, not because he was a prototypical NFL QB. You're not doing your team or him any service in trying to make him into a pocket passer.

I love that Washington is fucking it up so bad, but I think RG3 is a good dude for the most part.

Exactly. Couldn't agree more. If nothing else, look at Seattle tapes and use him just like Wilson. Which is mostly as a passer, but those 5-6-7 runs a game can be backbreakers for defenses.

And you still roll him out and move him some. If you made Russell Wilson into a Troy Aikman-type pure pocket passer, he wouldn't be nearly as good, either. Which makes you wonder what all was said in the interview process with Gruden.

As for feeling a little bad for him, I personally feel like he showed a ton of guts out there in that playoff game playing on a leg held together by a thread. Redskin or not, when that leg bent sideways, that was just sickening. And then he busted his ass to be back for that first game the next year. As it turned out, he'd have been better off taking his time and getting stronger first. Personally, I don't think he was really healthy and that only hurt his development. So it seems like for his effort and guts he just got a big shit sandwich.

Now has he been a little too pampered and does he show too much ego? I don't doubt that at all. But that's not unique to him, and it's something that can be worked out with young players. I'm sure that's what Gruden is trying to do, I'm just not sure he's going about it the right way.
 
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