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Mike Shanahan Insists He's Being 'Honest' And 6 Other Comments About RG3 Getting Benched

Shanahan Being 'Honest' And 6 Other Reactions To RG3 Getting Benched
ASHBURN, VA - DECEMBER 11: Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III (10) during his press conference after practice at Redskins Park on December, 11, 2013 in Ashburn, VA. (Photo by Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post via Getty Images)
ASHBURN, VA - DECEMBER 11: Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III (10) during his press conference after practice at Redskins Park on December, 11, 2013 in Ashburn, VA. (Photo by Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan took 28 minutes on Wednesday to explain to reporters his reasoning behind shutting quarterback Robert Griffin III for the remainder of the season.

"What I'm trying to do is be as honest as I can," Shanahan insisted. "And I don't normally do that."

The move is the latest development in another dysfunctional season in Washington. Here's what he and a few others have said about Shanahan's decision.

  • Mike Shanahan - "You've got to take a look at the risk and reward," Shanahan said, via the Associated Press. "And with Robert I thought that his hits were piling up on him, giving him his toll, and I was afraid that we would set him back."

  • RG3 - "I expressed my desire to play. Of course, I want to be out there and finish the season with my guys, see it through. He explained to me his reasoning, and at the end of the day Coach's decision is what we go with," said Griffin, per AP.

  • Kirk Cousins - "This is Robert's team going forward. The reason they are resting Robert is because this is Robert's team, and he is the franchise quarterback. ... My job is to help this team get a win," Cousins said, via USA Today Sports.

  • Santana Moss - "No player wants to be in Robert's situation right now. You feel for him," Moss said, via USA Today Sports. "I know he's probably going to be ticked. I'd be ticked. Robert knows he's going to be here knows he has time to correct everything he did this year. All you can do is accept it."

  • Pierre Garcon - “There was no reaction. Coach made a decision and we just have to live with it, and deal with it. Whatever he decides, we support him 100 percent," said Garcon, via The Washington Post. "After a team loses so many times, you expect change wherever it is: offense, defense, special teams. You expect something will happen and it happened.”

  • London Fletcher - “It’s a situation where you just try to be there, support him," Fletcher said, per The Washington Post. "I understand, you just try to take something out of it, and you just try to support him as you can. I’m sure it’s going to be extremely difficult for him, just having been a starting quarterback and now having to sit and watch and not have the opportunity these next three ball games.”

  • John Madden (because why not) - “But his playing is going to to help him," Madden said, via DC Sports Bog. "He needs experience, he needs snaps, he needs reps, he needs to get his confidence back. And if it’s a problem of taking too many sacks and too many hits then BLOCK BETTER for him. Get some better blockers, get a better scheme, go an extra lineman sometimes, go an extra tight end, chip a good pass rusher, do SOMETHING to help him other than to shut him down. Where did shut him down ever come up in football? I never heard shut him down. I mean, that was a baseball thing — a pitch count, he’s thrown so many, now we’re going to shut him down. I’ve never heard of a football player ever being shut down. Now if he’s hurt, that’s a different story. If he’s hurt and can’t play, then we’re talking about a different ballgame here.”

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