Former Ravens QB Robert Griffin III joining ESPN as analyst
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BALTIMORE — Former Ravens quarterback Robert Griffin III is joining ESPN as an analyst, the network announced Thursday.
Griffin, an NFL free agent since January, 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,” ESPN senior vice president of production Lee Fitting said in a release. “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.”
On social media, Griffin has voiced his desire to continue playing in the NFL, and the NFL Network reported that he has an out in his contract if the opportunity arises.
Griffin was “the object of a fierce offseason bidding war between ESPN and Fox Sports,” Front Office Sports reported, two networks that share Big 12 Conference TV rights. Griffin won the Heisman Trophy at Baylor in 2011 and went to high school in Texas.
“College football has always been an integral part of my life, first as a kid watching it, then as a young man playing it,” Griffin said in the release. “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.”
The NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2012 with Washington, Griffin appeared in 14 games and started two over his three seasons with the Ravens. A popular interview subject among reporters, he injured his hamstring in a Week 12 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers last season and was later placed on injured reserve. The Ravens waived him on Jan. 18.
