Heisman Trophy winner and Pro Bowl quarterback Robert Griffin III has signed a multi-year deal to join ESPN as a college football and NFL analyst.
Griffin III, who played eight NFL seasons, will call a weekly ESPN/ABC college football game and also contribute to ESPN’s coverage of the College Football Playoff, Super Bowl and other major events.
“Robert has been on our radar for a while and we expect him to make an immediate impact on our college and NFL coverage,” said Lee Fitting, ESPN senior vice president of production. “His knowledge of the game, his fresh-off-the-field insights and his charisma make him uniquely positioned to move into this new role, and we are particularly excited to have him call a big college game every week.”
“College football has always been an integral part of my life, first as a kid watching it, then as a young man playing it,” said Griffin III. “Some of my greatest sports memories come from my collegiate days surrounded by the pageantry, the traditions and the passion of the fans. College football is life changing for many and I will always look back on my time playing it with tremendous gratitude.
Griffin III added: “Knowing how much the game of football helps shape lives, and understanding the aspects of the commitment it entails, is why I am thrilled to have the opportunity to join ESPN for both college and NFL programming. I look forward to being around the players, coaches and fans while providing unique insight to bring the game to life for the viewers.”
Griffin III was a once-in-a-generation talent at Baylor University where he set or tied 54 school records from 2008-11. A three-year starter, Griffin III threw for 10,366 yards and 78 touchdowns while rushing for 2,254 yards and 33 TDs during his 41-game collegiate career.
His best season was 2011 when he captured the Heisman Trophy, the Davey O’Brien and Manning Awards, along with other National Player of the Year honors after amassing 4,293 passing yards and 37 passing touchdowns to go along with 699 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns.
He was the face of the Baylor program that finished 10-3, won its first bowl game in 19 years and earned a final national ranking of 12.
The No. 2 overall NFL Draft pick by the Washington Football Team in 2012, Griffin III played eight seasons in the NFL – with Washington (2012-15), the Cleveland Browns (2016) and the Baltimore Ravens (2018-20).
He threw for 9,271 yards and 43 touchdowns, while rushing for 1,809 yards and 10 scores.
Griffin III’s best pro season was when he burst on the NFL scene as a rookie, throwing for 3,200 yards and 20 touchdowns with 815 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. The NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and a 2013 Pro Bowl selection, Griffin III helped Washington go from 5-11 the previous year to 10-6 after a seven-game win streak clinched the NFC East division title for the first time since 1999 and earned Washington its first playoff appearance since 2007. Griffin III also set records at the time for highest passer rating (102.4) by a rookie quarterback, highest touchdown to interception ratio (4:1) by a rookie quarterback, and injected life into the nation’s capital.
In 2017, Griffin III was a guest analyst on ESPN’s NFL Live. He also appeared on the cover of ESPN The Magazine’s 15th anniversary issue in 2013 and has presented and won at The ESPYs Awards.
The full roster of ESPN college football commentators for the 2021 season will be announced later this summer.
