Robert Griffin III's status for Week 1 won't be officially decided until at least after Washington's final preseason game, but a number of Redskins players and others around the organization fully expect him to be under center when Washington hosts Philadelphia in the season opener.
Robert Griffin III injury: Redskins players expect RG3 to start Week 1
Robert Griffin III is yet to receive medical clearance, but some around the organization see that as nothing but a formality and expect him to start in Week 1.
Rob Carr
Griffin has yet to receive medical clearance to play in games. He is expected to be examined by Dr. James Andrews following Washington’s final preseason game. Andrews, who performed the surgery on Griffin’s knee, will then make a recommendation of how to proceed, according to a report from the Washington Post. That exam, however, may be nothing more than a formality according to one source close to the team.
“He’s taking all the snaps with the ones,” the source said, via the Washington Post. “He’s looking great. I don’t think there’s any doubt he’s playing and I think everyone in the building is looking at it that way. I think they look at that last checkup as a done deal.”
Griffin's teammates also expect him to play against Philadelphia, with both Santana Moss and Pierre Garcon saying Griffin looks like he's ready to play.
“He’s running around, throwing the ball,” Garcon said. “Arm’s good. Legs are good. He’s practiced, and we practice hard. . . . He looks great to me, tell you the truth.”
Moss was even more matter-of-fact when it came to the question of Griffin playing in Week 1.
“They’ve already said that he’s going to be playing on Monday night so I shouldn’t have [any] doubt,” Moss said. “That’s why he’s not playing the preseason, because his game -- the game that he would be out there with everybody on -- is the first game of the season.”
During an appearance on ESPN 980, Griffin said he feels his knee is fully recovered. He was cleared to practice at the start of training camp and is yet to have any setbacks. One unnamed player said he believes it's "virtually certain" Griffin will start the season opener, according to the Washington Post report. Tight end Niles Paul said based on the things Griffin is able to do in practice, it "looks like nothing ever happened."
Griffin tore his ACL on Jan. 6 in the playoffs against Seattle. According to USA Today, doctors estimate players can recover from an ACL tear in six to nine months. If Griffin does indeed start against the Eagles on Sept. 9, he will return to the field almost exactly nine months after suffering the injury.
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