Mike Shanahan Names RGIII Starting QB

Here I go, a day later than everyone else—so goes the way of Don’t Laugh, People—but I’ve got a day to think on this whereas everyone else just posted in the excitement of the breaking news.

Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan announced yesterday that Robert Griffin III, Heisman Trophy winning, #2 overall selection in the 2012 NFL Draft, QB out of Baylor University, would be the unquestionable starting quarterback.

It was in response to whether there’s any QB controversy between Griffin & the Redskins 3^rd pick in the draft, 4^th rounder Kirk Cousins of Michigan State, and if RGIII would have to beat out veteran Rex Grossman. Shanahan said, “He’s the starter. Period,”

He went on to express the logic that the team didn’t give up so much to have Griffin wait in the wings, but that Griffin should, and would be comfortable under pressure to get right into it.

He also suggested that the team would do some amazing things with Griffin, but all based on what he is able to do and what they feel they can get out of him. “We're going to adjust our system to what he feels comfortable with, and we'll watch him grow and we'll do what we feel like he can do and what he does the best.”

Shanahan also went on to praise Griffin’s physical strengths and his unique repertoire. “One thing the NFL is not used to is a quarterback with his type of speed and his type of throwing ability, so I think we can do some things that people haven't done.”

As previously mentioned, this comes after a lot of speculation and imbecilic “reporting” and reacting from almost everyone suggesting that Cousins is a threat to Griffin off of everything other than talent, draft position, college career performance, and their performance on the NFL level in camps, practices, and preseason performance. One of the most idiotic “arguments” anyone made in this entire situation was that Mike Shanahan & Kyle Shanahan are racist against black people, so long as the black person is a quarterback—citing their handling of veteran Donovan McNabb.

Everything Mike Shanahan says needs to be taken with a grain of salt. He’s putting the pressure on RGIII to keep his position now while putting faith in him to succeed and keep his job. Rex Grossman can still start day one, but Shanahan is expressing more than a guarantee or promise, he’s expressing faith in a young man to be a great leader.