Robert Griffin III, popularly referred to as RGIII, is a talented American football player who plays the position of quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Baltimore Ravens. The star athlete played college football for Baylor University where he set numerous records and won multiple awards, most notably the 2011 Heisman Trophy. Griffin later launched his professional career in 2012 after he was drafted by the Washington Redskins. He spent a few years with the team before joining the Cleveland Browns for a year in 2016. He subsequently spent about two years without a team before returning to the league to sign for the Ravens in 2018.
Robert Griffin III’s Journey to the NFL
RGIII was born Robert Lee Griffin III on the 12th of February, 1990 in Okinawa, Japan to his parents; Robert Jr. and Jacqueline Griffin. His parents both served in the US Army and were stationed at the Asian nation when their son was born.
Due to their jobs in the armed forces, the Griffins moved around a lot, living in different cities across the US before later settling down in Copperas Cove, Texas in 1997. RG3 ended up attending Copperas Cove High School where he was a three-sport athlete; competing in basketball, football, and track. He also performed very well on the academic side of things, serving as class president and ranking seventh in his class when he graduated.
In football, Robert Griffin III played as a quarterback. He excelled in the sport and was able to take his school to two state championship games that they, unfortunately, both lost. In track, RGIII broke state records for the 110-meter and 300-meter hurdles. He received the Gatorade Texas Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year award in his junior year and was also named to USA Today′s 2007 All-USA Track and Field team.
Coming out of high school in 2008, RGIII was a four-star college prospect. He was recruited by a myriad of college programs but he ended up choosing to attend Baylor University because the school had a good football and track and field program.
As a freshman, the quarterback earned Big 12 Conference Offensive Freshman of the Year honors as his team managed a 4-8 record. The next two years saw RGIII barely feature for the Baylor Bears due to an injury. In 2011, however, the player was able to make a remarkable comeback as he finished the season with 4,293 passing yards, 37 passing touchdowns, and six interceptions, as well as 179 rushes for 699 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. He was awarded the Heisman Trophy for his effort, becoming the first player from his college to win it. He was further named the 2011 Associated Press College Football Player of the Year and was awarded both the Davey O’Brien Award and the Manning Award.
His Time as a Professional
Following a remarkable final year in college, Robert Griffin III was viewed as one of the top prospects of the 2012 NFL Draft. He was subsequently selected second overall by the Washington Redskins who signed him to a four-year rookie contract.
In his rookie season, RGIII was named starting quarterback of his team to become the first starting quarterback in the NFL to be born in the 1990s. He went on to put up impressive performances all through the season, leading the team to its first playoff appearance since 2007. This saw him recieve the 2012 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award and a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team. He was also selected to take part in the 2012 Pro Bowl, but due to injuries, was replaced by Drew Brees.
In his next three seasons with the Redskins, RGIII was unable to replicate his performances from his rookie season. His was further plagued by injuries and was thus released by the team at the end of the 2015 season.
Robert Griffin III went on to sign a two-year deal with the Cleveland Browns before the 2016 season. He was named starting quarterback but injuries and a number of bad performances prompted the team to cut their loses and release the play after just one season. He would then go on to remain a free agent for about two years before making his return to the NFL in 2018 when he signed a one-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens. In 2019, the team awarded him a new two-year deal, tying him until 2021.
Breakdown of His Earnings Over the Years
Robert Griffin III’s talent can never be questioned. The only problem is whether he can remain healthy and be the best player everybody knows he is.
Prior to his injury-riddled days, RGIII was a very high earner. It is reported that the player earned millions even before he got to play his first game in the NFL. This was as a result of the endorsement deals he signed with big brands like Adidas, Castrol Motor Oil, EvoShield, Gatorade, EA Sports, Subway, and Nissan.
From his first contract in 2012, Griffin took home $21.1 million over four years. He further received a signing bonus of $13.8 million. His next contract came in 2016 when he signed a two-year deal worth $15 million with the Cleveland Browns. In 2018, he was paid $1.1 million from the one year contract he signed with the Baltimore Ravens. The next year, the team offered him a two-year deal worth $4 million.
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Intricacies of Robert Griffin III’s Love Life
Robert Griffin III has been married twice. His first marriage was to his college sweetheart, Rebecca Liddicoat. The duo met in 2009 while they were studying at Baylor University. After about four years together, the couple opted to take things a step further by exchanging marital vows on the 6th of July 2013. Two years after their wedding, the couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Reese Ann Griffin in May 2015.
While still married, it emerged that the NFL quarterback was cheating with a student at Virginia Commonwealth University named Meredith Barbara. The alleged affair started before his marriage as on the night of his wedding around 1 am, he allegedly sent her inappropriate messages. A Hooter’s waitress, Meredith Barber later made an attempt at blackmailing the athlete.
As a result of his indiscretions, things got rough between RGIII and his wife. The couple parted ways in 2016 before finalizing divorce proceedings in 2017. In 2016, as he and his wife Rebecca separated, Griffin started a relationship with Estonian heptathlete Grete Sadeiko. In the following year, it was announced that the two had gotten engaged, a few months before Grete went on to give the athlete his second child, a daughter named Gloria Griffin born on the 2nd of July 2017.
About a year after Gloria’s birth, RGIII and Grete tied the knot on the 10th of March 2018. In September 2019, it was reported that the couple added another member to their family, a daughter named Gameya.
