Robert Griffin III Benched for Kirk Cousins: Twitter Reacts to Redskins' QB Move

Kirk Cousins was officially named the Washington Redskins' starting quarterback Monday. He beat out Robert Griffin III, whose attempt to win the job was derailed by a concussion.  

“I think all three quarterbacks should be commended for their efforts, their willingness to get better,” head coach Jay Gruden said, per Andrew Walker of the team's official site. “But when it’s all said and done after all the film that we’ve gone through, all the offseason activity, all the training camp footage, we feel that at this time, Kirk Cousins gives us the best chance to win and that’s where we’re going....It's Kirk's team.”

Bleacher Report took some time to memorialize Griffin's tenure in Washington:

Matthew Berry of ESPN.com commented on the fantasy implications:

It's a situation that's witnessed plenty of twists and turns in recent weeks.

Griffin appeared to have the inside track on the starting job from the outset. It's a crucial campaign for the fourth-year Baylor product as the Redskins can cut him after the season to avoid paying his $16.155 million salary in 2016-17, per Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports.

While some have been critical of Washington for throwing Griffin under the bus given all it gave up, Bobby Big Wheel made a point:

Washington held out hope he could return to the level he showcased during his rookie season. He posted a terrific 102.4 quarterback rating with 20 passing touchdowns and just five interceptions. The dual-threat weapon also added seven rushing TDs.

Skip Bayless of ESPN still believes in Griffin:

Former NFL head coach Brian Billick however, has less faith in Griffin than Bayless:

His numbers have dropped off considerably since that point, however, and he's also battled injuries over the past two years. It seemed the Redskins were prepared to give him one more opportunity to showcase some former magic, though.

Griffin certainly never lost confidence in himself. In an interview with Alex Parker of WJLA, he made a bold declaration about his standing in the world of NFL QBs:

"

I feel like I'm the best quarterback in the league and I have to go out and show that. Any athlete at any level, if they concede to someone else, they're not a top competitor, they're not trying to be the best that they can be. There's guys in this league that have done way more than me. But, I still view myself as the best because that's what I work toward every single day.

"

Jim Sannes of Number Fire quantified Griffin's regression:

Alas, he suffered a concussion in the team's second preseason game against the Detroit Lions. Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post notes he was originally cleared to return for the third exhibition contest before the team and independent neurologist Robert Kurtzke changed course, stating he needed additional time on the sideline.

Pro Football Talk looked to the Redskins' history for a comparison:

That opened the door for Cousins. Team president Bruce Allen confirmed at the time there wasn't a mandate to play any of the quarterbacks despite the question marks surrounding Griffin's future, per John Keim of ESPN.com: "That's coach [Jay] Gruden's decision. The coach will decide who's going to play. Obviously, coach Gruden, along with his assistant coaches, will decide who is the running back and the quarterback and the defensive lineman. They make those decisions."

Bomani Jones of ESPN wondered what Brad McCoy, the father of Colt McCoy, was thinking during this fiasco:

Spencer Hall of SB Nation wondered if Griffin's injury problems would transfer over:

The Redskins decided to move forward with Cousins. He's not the most enticing option with a career 77.5 passer rating and more interceptions (19) than touchdowns (18) in 14 regular-season games, but the team doesn't have a clear choice at the position right now.

Jones, who has been vocal about the Griffin-Cousins situation, pointed out the flawed logic:

Now, the question is how long his leash will be. Are they going to give him the reins for the entire season to see how he develops with consistent playing time or will they look elsewhere, whether it's Griffin or McCoy, at the first sign of trouble? It's a mystery at this stage.

Ultimately, the bottom line is Cousins needs to provide stability right out of the gate or this is a season that could get away from the Redskins quickly.