Ex-Washington Quarterback RGIII Wants To Join Commanders Ownership Bid

ASHBURN, VA — Robert Griffin III is looking to join a group bid to purchase the Washington Commanders, the team's former quarterback told radio host Rich Eisen this week.

Griffin, a Heisman Trophy winner at Baylor University, was the second overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft and played in Washington for four seasons before the team released him in 2016.

Griffin told Eisen he has had "some great conversations" with a group led by Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils owner Josh Harris. Harris's group has formally submitted a bid to buy D.C.'s long-troubled franchise for $6 billion, according to a report from the Washington Post.

Read more: Magic Johnson Joining Bid To Buy Washington Commanders

Harris's group also includes NBA legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson and local billionaire Mitchell Rales.

"I'm head over heels excited about that process," Griffin said during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show on Tuesday. "To be a part of that team, to not have my career go the way I wanted it to or the fans wanted it to. It would be a full circle type of moment to come back and try to help that team build the winner that the fans deserve."

As Washington's quarterback, Griffin saw immediate success upon entering the league in 2012. He won the league's Offensive Rookie of the Year award and was named to the Pro Bowl. However, he suffered a knee injury during a playoff game after the 2012 season. The rest of his time in D.C. was inconsistent and plagued with injury.

Griffin said he understands what Commanders fans want to see.

"At the end of the day, the fans will throw a parade when Dan Snyder sells the team," Griffin said.

The Washington Post has reported that another group, led by Canadian businessman Steve Apostolopoulos, has also submitted a formal bid.

Snyder's time as owner has been ripe with controversy.

In 2020, the franchise changed its name and branding after years of concerns that the previous name was racist toward Native Americans. From 2020 through 2022, Snyder was the subject of investigations by the NFL, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, and the D.C. Attorney General's Office.

Read more: Snyder, NFL Interfered In Harassment Investigation: DC Lawsuit

In 2021, the Commanders, then known as the Washington Football Team, were fined $10 million by the NFL. The NFL investigation determined that Snyder fostered a hostile work environment within the organization. Several former employees expressed concerns about sexual harassment and retaliation.

Read more: Washington Football Team Fined $10M After NFL Investigation

After the investigation, Snyder temporarily stepped away from the team's day-to-day operations.
In November 2022, the team announced that Snyder was considering potential transactions involving the franchise. Initial reports said Snyder could sell the whole franchise or a minority stake. Snyder and his wife, Tanya, had owned 100 percent of the franchise since buying out the minority owners in 2021.