Robert Griffin III Says He Was Contacted by NFL Team in August, Still Open to Return

Robert Griffin III was contacted "in mid-August" by teams interested in facilitating his return to the NFL, the former Pro Bowl quarterback said Wednesday on The Dan Patrick Show.

Griffin last played in December 2020 for the Baltimore Ravens.

"The bottom line is, for me, I want to play still," Griffin said. "I'm enjoying what I'm doing in the media... but if the right opportunity came along, I would certainly entertain it, and make the right decision."

Griffin joined ESPN on a multi-year broadcasting contract in 2021. The deal included an exit clause in case he signed another NFL contract, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

He launched his own NFL podcast, "RG3 and The Ones," in September.

This is not the first time Griffin, who turned 33 in February, has hinted at teams' interest in signing him since he was waived by the Ravens in January 2021.

After he ran a 4.48-second 40-yard dash at Rich Eisen's charity event last year, Griffin told Eisen he "got some calls" from NFL executives about a possible return. At the time, the former quarterback mentioned the Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons and Chicago Bears as teams he would be interested in joining.

Griffin told KWTX's Christopher Williams last summer that he was training "every day" in order to be ready for a call to return to the league.

Griffin was drafted by Washington in 2012 at after the team sent eight draft picks to St. Louis to snag the No. 2 pick from the Rams.

The Baylor product made that haul seem worth it with his first season, during which he earned a Pro Bowl nomination and Offensive Rookie of the Year title.

Then Griffin suffered a brutal knee injury during a playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks. Washington was eliminated, and Griffin's career was never the same.

Further injuries and his inability to recapture the consistency of his rookie season led to Griffin's release from Washington in 2016. The quarterback then played one season for the Cleveland Browns and three in Baltimore. He went unsigned following the 2020 season.

Griffin has indicated several times since then that he is interested in returning to the league. According to him, 2023 could be the season he finally makes his comeback.