Robert Griffin III Thanks Fans in Pre-Knee Surgery Tweet

Robert Griffin III is preparing to undergo knee surgery on Wednesday morning (as per The Washington Post), but the Washington Redskins superstar QB took some time out of his day to thank his fans before the procedure. 

According to his Twitter feed, Griffin had this to say to his supporters:

"

Thank you for your prayers and support. I love God, my family, my team, the fans, & I love this game. See you guys next season.

— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) January 9, 2013"

RGIII reportedly suffered a torn lateral collateral ligament (LCL) in his right knee and may also have damage to his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)—something doctors are going to look into during the surgery.

There’s been speculation that Griffin would not be able to play in the 2013 NFL season due to this injury, but the young man seemed to address those concerns in his tweet.

According to Mike Jones, Mark Maske and Dave Sheinin of The Washington Post, that optimistic prognosis may not be possible, considering the recovery time on these types of injuries:

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The length of the rehabilitation depends on whether the ligament can be repaired surgically or requires a more extensive reconstruction using a graft from another part of the body or a cadaver. A torn ACL typically requires a six- to eight-month rehabilitation.

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The rookie phenomenon first significantly injured this knee back on December 9, when he had to come off the field against the Baltimore Ravens.

He shortly returned to put the ‘Skins in position for a game-tying touchdown, but he wasn’t able to remain in as he finally collapsed to the ground and was helped off.

Dr. James Andrews, one of the most respected orthopedic surgeons in the world and easily the most notable name in sports medicine, expressed concern for RGIII going into his wild-card matchup vs. the Seattle Seahawks this past Sunday.

The ‘Skins team doctor was proven right when the QB was clearly ineffective and finally done for the day due to this knee injury in the fourth quarter of the 24-14 loss.

It’s an extremely sad situation, and we are hopeful the 22-year-old can return at full strength and in a timely fashion. We also hope he finally puts his health before the team and actually allows these ligaments to heal before getting back on the field.