RG3 Injury: Redskins QB Won't Last in NFL Due to Knee Issues

When Washington Redskins rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III took the field in the team’s Wild Card Round matchup against the Seattle Seahawks Sunday, he was doing so on an injured right knee.

Despite being warned of the risks that further damage could cause to the extremity, Griffin played through the pain and the team allowed it, feeling that the reward of playoff glory outweighed the risk of serious damage.

After a botched snap late in the game and an injury that saw the rookie’s leg buckle, bend the wrong direction and cause Griffin to fall to the turf in pain, it is clear that there is serious damage to the right knee.

With this only being the No. 2 overall pick’s first season in the NFL, the fact that he could possibly need his second major knee surgery of his football career is a terrifying thought for Redskins fans.

According to Mark Maske and Mike Jones of the Washington Post, the severity of the knee injury could be even worse than initially thought, and the team will find out more about when the damaged occurred:

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The MRI exam of Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III’s right knee shows that Griffin has suffered possible partial tears of his anterior cruciate and lateral collateral ligaments, according to several people with knowledge of the test results.

Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan said Griffin is scheduled to be examined Tuesday in Pensacola, Fla., by orthopedic surgeon James Andrews to determine whether the test results show new or previous injuries.

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With Griffin’s ability to get out of the pocket and run for big chunks of yardage and his coach’s willingness to incorporate those abilities into the game plan, the odds of Griffin getting injured are through the roof.

This isn’t Baylor anymore; these are NFL players trained to hit the quarterback hard and make him think twice about running that direction again. With Griffin’s aggressive running style and will to win, Shanahan has to be the one that keeps the rookie from putting himself in a position to get hurt.

Griffin wants to win at all costs, and that will eventually cost him full motion in his legs. Not only is he dealing with new knee damage now, the rookie also tore his ACL in the same knee in 2009.

There is no questioning the raw talent of Griffin, but if the tests on his knee injury come back and surgery is required, Shanahan and the coaching staff must alter the entire offensive playbook to keep the star on the field and healthy.

Maybe Kirk Cousins wasn't such an odd pick after all.

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