Robert Griffin III, better known to football fans as RGIII, was one of several notable figures from the military and sports communities who joined We Are The Mighty for an interview during the USAA Media Row event ahead of the 126th Army-Navy Game at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.
During the conversation, Griffin reflected on his upbringing as an Army brat, crediting the structure and discipline of his military household as the foundation that helped propel him to a Heisman Trophy as the nation’s top college football player and, later, a career in the NFL.
“You talk about learning discipline, learning sacrifice at an early age. If you say you’re going to do something, you do it. If you start something you finish it,” Griffin said. “Those types of things really go hand-in-hand with being a military brat.”
The son of two active-duty soldiers, Robert Jr. and Jacqueline Griffin, Robert Griffin III was born in Okinawa, Japan. His upbringing as an Army brat included stops at Fort Carson, Colorado; Fort Lewis, Washington; and New Orleans, Louisiana, while his parents were stationed in South Korea. Ultimately, the Griffins settled in Copperas Cove, a community near Fort Hood, Texas, his parents’ final duty station.
Growing up on military installations, RGIII played basketball and practiced taekwondo before finding both stability and his athletic footing in Copperas Cove, Texas. It was there that he began playing organized football in seventh grade, a pivotal moment that would shape his development as an athlete and set him on the path to future success.
At Copperas Cove High School, Griffin emerged as a standout multi-sport athlete, excelling in football, basketball, and track and field. His success on the field and in the classroom quickly drew the attention of major college football programs, including Stanford, Tennessee, Kansas, Nebraska, Houston, Tulsa, Illinois, Washington State, Oregon, and Baylor.
Baylor
Initially committed to play for Houston head coach Art Briles, Griffin ultimately followed Briles when he accepted the head coaching position at Baylor. Enrolling early after graduating high school a semester ahead of schedule, Griffin arrived in Waco in the spring of 2008 and quickly established himself as a standout student-athlete for the Bears.
While Griffin was an accomplished track athlete, particularly in the 400-meter hurdles, his success on the football field during the fall of 2008 quickly took center stage. On his way to earning Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year honors, the 17-year-old showcased his elite dual-threat ability while starting all 12 games for Baylor. That season, RGIII completed 160 of 267 passes for 2,091 yards and 15 touchdowns, while adding 843 rushing yards and 13 scores on the ground.
Despite finishing the 2008 season with a 4-8 record (2-6 Big 12), Baylor fans had high hopes for the young signal-caller entering his second year of college football. Those expectations were quickly derailed in Griffin’s third start of the 2009 season against Northwestern, when a torn ACL sidelined him for the remainder of the campaign.
Griffin returned healthy the following season and reestablished himself as one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in college football. Appearing in 13 games, including a trip to the Texas Bowl, RGIII powered Baylor to a 7-6 finish (4-4 Big 12). He accounted for 4,145 total yards, 3,501 through the air and 635 on the ground, while throwing for 22 touchdowns and adding eight more rushing scores, signaling his full return to elite form.
Griffin’s success in the classroom continued alongside his rise on the gridiron at Baylor. A political science major, he completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in December 2010, an academic milestone that allowed him to begin graduate studies in communications during the remainder of his time with the Bears.
An upset victory over No. 14 TCU early in the 2011 season set the tone for one of Baylor’s best campaigns in decades. Behind Griffin’s historic play, the Bears finished 10-3 (6-3 Big 12) and earned a final No. 13 ranking in the AP Poll. The season featured signature wins over ranked opponents, including Oklahoma and Texas, and ended on a strong note with a thrilling 67-56 victory over Washington in the Alamo Bowl.
The Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, Griffin absolutely lit up opposing defenses, throwing for 4,293 yards and 37 touchdowns while adding another 699 rushing yards and 10 scores on the ground. Those eye-popping numbers, coupled with completing 291 of 402 passes for a 72.4 percent completion rate, cemented him as one of the nation’s most dynamic quarterbacks. RGIII’s historic season was rewarded on December 10, 2011, when he was awarded the Heisman Trophy, presented annually to the most outstanding player in college football.
The NFL
That emphatic finish to a storied college career made Griffin one of the premier prospects in the 2012 NFL Draft. In a class that featured four quarterbacks selected in the first round, RGIII was taken second overall by the Washington Redskins, just behind fellow signal-caller Andrew Luck, who went first to the Indianapolis Colts. The selection set Griffin on a path to an eight-season NFL career defined by remarkable highs, significant challenges, and lasting impact.
Looking to rebound from a dismal 2011 season that saw the franchise finish last in the NFC East at 5-11, Griffin quickly won the Washington Redskins’ starting quarterback job out of training camp.
RGIII also gave We Are The Mighty a glimpse into life inside an NFL locker room when he reflected on how many Army brats and military-connected players he shared the roster with during his time in Washington.
“I wouldn’t say I was the only one, but there were slim pickings,” Griffin recalled. “You’re talking about 63 guys on the roster, and 90 during the offseason. There might have been three guys on the team who had that experience of growing up in a military family and moving around so much. We definitely bonded over that.”
Griffin’s military-connected childhood also prepared him to navigate and lead within diverse environments, a skill that proved invaluable throughout his football career as he moved between teams, cities, and locker rooms.
“What being in a military family also teaches you is how to lead in different spaces,” RGIII said. “Because you are moving around so much. Because one time you are in a predominantly Black community, and the next time you are in a predominantly white community. Then you are in a mixed community, or whatever that may be, because that is America and that’s the world. It teaches you how to find connections with people when you don’t come from the same background. And I think that is something that was really important for me.”
In his professional debut on September 9, 2012, Griffin completed 19 of 26 passes for 320 yards and two touchdowns, while also adding 42 rushing yards on 10 carries. This performance helped lead Washington to a 40-32 victory over the New Orleans Saints and served as a national coming-out party for the rookie quarterback. The statement debut made RGIII the first player in NFL history to record more than 300 passing yards, at least two passing touchdowns, and zero interceptions in an NFL debut.
In a worst-to-first turnaround, Griffin led the Redskins to a vastly improved 10-6 record, capturing the NFC East crown and returning the franchise to the postseason for the first time since 2007. Washington’s exciting season came to an abrupt end in the Wild Card round on January 6, 2013, falling to the Seattle Seahawks, 24-14.
The loss proved especially costly, as Griffin suffered a devastating knee injury late in the game while attempting to field a low snap. The rookie quarterback tore both his ACL and LCL in the same knee he had sprained just weeks earlier, an injury that derailed what had been one of the most promising rookie seasons in NFL history.
In what would prove to be his best season in the NFL, RGIII threw for 3,203 yards and 20 touchdowns, while adding 815 rushing yards and seven scores on the ground. This standout dual-threat performance earned him NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and positioned him as one of the league’s most exciting young quarterbacks. Unfortunately, Griffin was never able to replicate that level of success in the seasons that followed.
The knee injury suffered late in his rookie campaign significantly limited his mobility and effectiveness over the next several years. Compounding the issue, a revolving door of coaching changes and schematic shifts within the Washington organization further hindered Griffin’s ability to regain his early form. Over the next three seasons, he started just 21 games. By 2015, Griffin had lost the starting job altogether, and Washington released him following the 2016 season. Despite this abrupt ending, RGIII’s rookie campaign remains one of the most impactful and memorable seasons in Washington football history.
Over the next four seasons, Griffin appeared in just 19 games with the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens. During his time in Baltimore, RGIII played an important role as both a backup and mentor to fellow Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson. The relationship carried particular significance, as both quarterbacks were dual-threat players drafted to reinvigorate offenses that had grown stagnant. Griffin’s experience navigating early NFL success and adversity also proved valuable to the young Ravens star.
Griffin officially retired from football after being waived by Baltimore on January 18, 2021. While many newly retired players fade quietly from the spotlight, RGIII took a different path. He quickly transitioned into broadcasting, signing a multi-year deal with ESPN where he became a prominent analyst for college football and NFL coverage. He later joined Fox Sports, where he now serves as a college football analyst, continuing to build a second career in the game he once starred in.
Football Broadcaster and Military Supporter
Retirement from football also opened the door for Griffin to become more active in causes and organizations close to his heart, particularly within the veterans and military family communities. Much of his efforts to support military families and veterans, especially those in need, revolve around the Robert Griffin III Foundation, “a non-profit foundation that strives to discover, design, and support programs that benefit families that are experiencing food insecurity, improve youth fitness and nutrition, and support and empower America’s youth.”
In addition to his foundation work, RGIII has partnered with organizations such as USAA and the Elizabeth Dole Foundation on initiatives and events that honor military families and highlight the sacrifices of service members and their loved ones. These efforts have often been tied to marquee sporting events like the Army-Navy Game, where the intersection of sports, service, and national pride is on full display.
Leading up to this year’s Army-Navy Game in Baltimore, Griffin and USAA partnered to give away vehicles to two service members, one from the U.S. Navy and another from the Army National Guard. Reflecting on the moment and the recipients, RGIII emphasized that these were not “free” cars, explaining that the veterans and their families had already “paid their dues by serving their country.”
Today, whether breaking down games from the broadcast booth or giving back to military families through his foundation and partnerships, Griffin continues to reflect the values instilled in him as an Army brat. From the military installations of his youth to the pinnacle of college football and the NFL, his journey underscores how discipline, service, and adaptability can shape success far beyond the playing field. For RGIII, the lessons of his military upbringing remain as central to his identity as any achievement on the gridiron.
