RG III, the much-loved quarterback of the Washington Redskins, suffered an ACL and MCL tear in the final game of the 2012 NFL season. This injury took him out of the game and ended his 2012 season early, which disappointed and dismayed Skins fans. However, this knee injury was not his first and perhaps can be traced back to his earlier years in football.

RG III got into football in his high-school years in Copperas Cove, Texas and was immediately noticed as a great player. He also ran track, and he excelled in both sports, receiving awards for his athleticism. According to the website “Jock Bio”, Griffin received First Team All-District Honors for exceptional performance in football his junior year and was named Gatorade’s Texas Track & Field Athlete of the Year.

When it came time to choose a college, Griffin chose to follow famed football coach Art Briles to Baylor University to play football and run track. His college football career got off to a great start, and he quickly gained recognition for his skill on the field. In his sophomore year he suffered an isolated tear to his ACL in his third game that ended his season. However, he came back with a vengeance in 2010, bringing his team to the Texas Bowl.

In his 2011 junior year, he played phenomenally, passing for 4293 yards and 37 touchdowns, his best stats yet according to ESPN. This stellar performance led to receiving the prestigious Heisman Trophy, making him the first from Baylor to receive this award. A few weeks later he declared himself eligible for the 2012 NFL Draft.

The Washington Redskins drafted Griffin in 2012, and things were looking great for him and his team. However, in week 14 of the 2012 season his reckless and free-wheeling play backfired on him as 340-pound Haloti Ngata of the Baltimore Ravens hit Griffin in his right knee and sent it whipping back, twisting it in the process. Griffin left the game and was later found to have sprained his lateral collateral ligament (LCL).

After missing only one game, Griffin returned to play. It is agreeable that RG III has almost superhuman athletic abilities, but he is not “superman”, and he cannot do everything. Fans and experts agree that Griffin’s decision to play versus Seattle, though tough, was the wrong choice. Even more agree that his return to the game after initially hurting himself in the 4^th quarter was reckless and may have cost him and the team in the long run.

An MRI on his right knee after the game revealed that he had torn his ACL and MCL, which required reconstructive surgery just as he had in 2009 during his sophomore season at Baylor.

Renowned orthopedist Dr. James Andrews performed the surgery and successfully repaired his knee. After the surgery Griffin faced several months of difficult rehab to retrain his muscles. As he began this journey, he consulted Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, who came back from a similar ACL tear in only ten months and had one of the greatest seasons ever for a running back. In fact Peterson came back better than before his injury. Griffin worked hard and put in significant effort, which resulted in Dr. Andrews clearing him for practice and Skins fans jumping for joy.

Griffin did start in the Redskins first game against the Eagles, but they lost 33-27. This losing streak continued into game 3, and it was obvious Griffin was frustrated. Although he is not doing so well, Griffin’s fans are undaunted in their support for him, including toting signs that say, “We love you Robert” and “We believe in you.”

As week 7 finished, Skins fans everywhere were left with renewed hope as RG III and the Skins found a way to win in a thrilling 45-41 battle against the Chicago Bears.  As week 8 approaches – along with the 7-1 Denver Broncos – the Skins will need RG III more than ever.