RG III is Redskins’ signature player

The quarterback doesn't mind all the attention, as long as it doesn't detract from his teammates.

Richmond Times-Dispatch

Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III gives autographs after the morning practice at training camp in Richmond on Monday.

Turn captions on

See video from training camp

Check out video from Redskins training camp in Richmond.

Michael Phillips | Richmond Times-Dispatch

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

RICHMOND — When Washington Redskins players take time to sign autographs after practice, one question always gets asked: “Where’s RGIII?”

The same question gets asked at the beginning of each morning’s walkthrough, and when Robert Griffin III emerges from the facility, a wave of applause sweeps across the crowd as he comes slowly into view.

None of this is a surprise. He’s one of the biggest stars at the biggest position in the biggest sporting league in America. Still, Griffin works to make sure it doesn’t overshadow what the Redskins need to accomplish at training camp.

“[Fans] want to see us as people and our personalities, and I try to give them that as much as I can,” he said Monday. “But when it’s time to perform, everybody is focused on the field. That’s what you have to do.”

Griffin feels the spotlight is one reason he has such a limited role in the team’s practices.

He’s made no secret that it’s tough to stay patient when he wants to show coach Mike Shanahan what he can do during the team’s 11-on-11 drills.

Asked if he was leaning on the lessons he learned from his torn ACL at Baylor, Griffin said that recovery was different because it happened out of the spotlight.

“I was doing a whole lot more at this time after my recovery at Baylor,” he said. “Obviously with this situation and what we have to deal with here and in D.C., there is a lot of scrutiny, so coach has to account for that.”

He emphasized that he’s going to do his part to follow Shanahan’s road map, but added that it’s a two-way street.

“At the end of the day, they have to come through for me and play me week one if I do everything they ask me to do,” Griffin said.

Shanahan cited other players on the team who had ACL surgery, including Chris Thompson and Brandon Meriweather. Neither has returned to a full workload yet.

“We do have a plan for [Griffin],” the coach said. “He may not always like that plan, but that’s my job sometimes, is not to be liked. My job is to do the best thing for him, and that’s what I’ll do.”

Griffin will travel with the team to Thursday’s preseason game at Tennessee, but will watch from the sideline. He joked that offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan might let him call the plays for a quarter.

Mike Shanahan has hinted that if Griffin maintains his progress, he may be allowed to do more than just 7-on-7 work when the team returns to practice in Richmond on Saturday. He’s expected to maintain his current workload of about 17 snaps during 7-on-7 play today.

That’s enough to send the crowds into a frenzy as they cheer every completion.

Richmond has welcomed the entire team, but no one more than Griffin, who already has three sandwiches named after him at area restaurants.

He joked that he’ll have to go try them (“Hopefully I don’t die of a heart attack”) and added that his loyalties remain with Subway, a corporate sponsor.

Griffin said he works to keep his teammates in the spotlight as well, and though they have always maintained they don’t mind the extra attention Griffin receives, the quarterback tries to keep it from getting out of control.

At the end of practices, players go into the kids’ section at the facility and interact with a child. Over the last few days, the team has had to keep too many kids from flocking to Griffin.

“The only thing I worry about, and I talk to my teammates about it every day, I don’t want them to feel bad because the fans are cheering my name and not theirs,” Griffin said. “I don’t want them to feel bad because a little kid comes on the field and is supposed to be with them, and comes to me. That’s the stuff that makes me feel bad.

“The second that starts getting on their nerves, then we’ll curb that real quick, and make sure that all these guys get the appreciation and the attention they deserve.”

The players’ perspective is more straightforward.

“He can keep the spotlight,” receiver Pierre Garcon said. “We enjoy going under the radar.”

Garcon and company know that if Griffin brings them a Super Bowl ring, there will be enough spotlight to go around.

Monday, August 12, 2013