November 08, 2012

By Perry Green

Special to the NNPA from the Afro-American Newspaper

 

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody in the history of football with the combined skills and talents that RGIII has. He’s the total package!”

Those were the words legendary Howard University Sports Information Director Ed Hill Jr. used to describe the impact of Washington Redskins rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III.

In fact, that’s how several folks have described what they’re witnessing from Griffin so far this NFL season. Whether it is hardcore ‘Skins fans, NFL reporters, national pundits or even the president of the United States: they all suggest that RGIII offers something that has never been witnessed in the league before.

Hill has served as Howard’s SID for 29 years and worked as a sports reporter for years before arriving at Howard, so he’s seen his fair share of talented football players. He’s covered athletes that went on to win Super Bowl titles in the NFL, yet none of them quite compare to what he’s seeing from Griffin, the former Heisman trophy winner.

“There are maybe only a handful of quarterbacks that come close to the skills that RGIII have shown us so far this season,” Hill told the AFRO. “Some of these names are commonly known like Warren Moon, Doug Williams, Steve McNair, Randall Cunningham or most recently Michael Vick. But some of the older quarterbacks like Marlon Briscoe, had the talent but never got a chance to show it because of the racial tension back then.”

Hill said all of those players were great in one category or another, whether it be running the ball or passing but weren’t equally effective doing both. Warren Moon and Doug Williams were great passers but weren’t very mobile; Vick and Cunningham could run and scramble but weren’t as accurate passing the ball.

Hill said Griffin can not only outrun any and every quarterback that has ever played football, but can pass the ball just well and accurately as he runs.

“His speed as a runner is unmatchable and his arm strength and accuracy is as good as any passer out there, but you know what, the most impressive thing about this kid is his confidence,” Hill told the AFRO. “He’s just so confident in his abilities and people attract to confidence. His teammates, his fans, and even his haters, they all can’t help but follow this kid because he’s just so confident that he can do anything he wants on the field.

“That confidence is what will eventually lead him to becoming probably the best quarterback in the NFL,” Hill continued. “And not just the best Black quarterback, but the perhaps the best of any race to play the game.”

One of the Black quarterbacks that Hill mentioned, Doug Williams, echoed that sentiment that RGIII can develop into the best to ever play, almost as if Griffin is setting the precedent for a new prototype of quarterback in the NFL: one that can be equally great as a runner and a passer, not just be good at one or the other.

“Cunningham and McNair were both pretty passers and we all know they both could run the ball very well, but I don’t think neither one of them passed the ball as pretty as Griffin does,” said Williams, the first and only African-American quarterback to win a Super Bowl and win Super Bowl MVP as a starter for the Washington Redskins in 1987.

“Some may say that I threw a pretty pass, but I can tell you that I only wish that I had half as much talent as Griffin has. This kid throws the prettiest pass that I ever seen, and he’s only a rookie.”

Williams told the AFRO that the culture of the NFL was far different back when he was first drafted in 1978 compared to today’s league. Because of those differences, Griffin will get a chance to become not only the face of his franchise, but also the face of the entire NFL.

“When I was drafted in ’78, things were different. I was drafted to be a Black quarterback and Black quarterbacks had limitations. It’s a new league now and RGIII wasn’t drafted to be just a Black quarterback; he was drafted to be the quarterback. He was chosen to be the star of the city, and he’s been thriving in the role so far.”

Category: Sports