RGIII Talks God Helping Him Amid Difficult Criticism
Robert Griffin III, the Christian Washington Redskins quarterback, recently opened up about leaning on God during some tough criticism by NFL fans and the media.
Griffin, the 24-year-old Christian QB, has been plagued with injuries for the past two NFL seasons. After winning the 2011 Heisman Trophy at the Baptist Baylor University in Waco, Texas, Griffin was the second overall pick of the 2012 NFL draft and won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award later that year.
However, since then, injuries have plagued Griffin and both the media and fans have begun to question his abilities. The Christian athlete spoke to Ed Sorensen of KWTX in Waco about how God has helped him deal with the cynical feedback in DC where he plays.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
"Yeah, it is difficult. Some people get real cynical because of the cynical nature of the area, and I've just tried not to do that, and have been blessed by God to not have that mind-set," Griffin told Sorensen. "I still try to look at each person when I walk up to them and say, 'That's a good person.' Because if you think people are inherently bad, or they're inherently trying to hurt you, it can hurt the way you view the world."
The NFL player said he understands that people will react a certain way when his team loses games, and leans on God when he feels things are getting personal. He spoke about not letting people's attitudes change him.
"That's stuff that I've just kind of thrown away, and I've given to God to allow Him to handle whatever might not be right," Griffin said. "It can change you, and I know some guys that it has changed their view, whether it be being in D.C., or just being in the NFL in general. I think that's just a special part of who God's made me to be, is to view the world in a certain way, and if I change that, it'll change the fabric of who I am, and I'm not going to let anything do that."
While rumors have swirled about Griffin having issues with his former Redskins coach Mike Shanahan or the team's current coach Jay Gruden, the NFL star believes he has become a target. However, he refuses to focus on those elements that come with him getting national attention in the league.
"If I focus on that and try to focus on why it's become that way, I won't be able to go out and do my job effectively," Griffin said. "I think that's where God kind of has shown me things, that I need to focus my attention elsewhere, to where I don't have to worry about those things. He'll take care of that and make sure, at the end of the day, that the narrative is flipped."
One thing Griffin is focusing on during the offseason is his new charity, Family of 3 with his wife Rebecca Griffin. The quarterback previously spoke more about his foundation on Redskins.com.
"It's important to me because when you call somebody family, it means something," he told Redskins.com. "It means more to you and family has been a big part of my life. So the foundation we'll be working with will have ties to some aspect of my life in one way or another, and we want to be there for them in more ways than just money."
