ESPN analyst and former No. 2 overall pick Robert Griffin III is not lobbying for the Jets quarterback job, as the internet seemed to proclaim on Tuesday.
Griffin responded to a clip that went viral on social media, from ESPN’s “Get Up” when he appeared to say that the Jets can now go and bring in a player like himself and that he won’t be a distraction now that Aaron Rodgers has gone down with an injury.
“Some of these guys like Carson Wentz, Cam Newton, Colin Kaepernick, myself; it’s not that we can’t play the game anymore, it’s that we are a big distraction if you bring us in.”
“So now that your starter in Aaron Rodgers is out, you can potentially go and grab some of those guys,” Griffin says before the video abruptly cuts in mid-sentence to edited, slow-motion reaction from his ESPN colleagues, set to the music from “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” therefore conveniently leaving out that Griffin continued by explaining that Zach Wilson is the Jets’ only hope for success.
When the full clip is posted, Griffin finishes his point, saying, “but I’ll tell you right now, there is not a guy on the streets or anywhere including myself that will give the Jets a better chance to win than Zach Wilson. None of us know the offense, none of us have those relationships in the locker room.
“It’s gonna be Zach Wilson or nobody this year for the Jets, and they have to accept that.”
The initial, edited video was posted by sports broadcaster and radio host Grant Paulsen.
“Grant. Stop chasing clout,” Griffin tweeted. “Do your job and post the whole clip instead of being a weasel. The point is Zach Wilson gives the Jets the best chance to win. No one off the street will save the Jets.”
The Jets have committed to Wilson as their quarterback since Rodgers’ season-ending injury, but that hasn’t stopped speculation that they could bring in a backup.
Griffin hasn’t played in the NFL since his stint as the backup quarterback for the Ravens behind Lamar Jackson in 2020.
Notably, former Commanders quarterback Wentz seemingly put his name out there with a post on his Instagram story saying he’s “Throwin’ darts in the woods while waiting to throw darts on Sundays.”
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