A little more than a month after he left the field in agony after tearing his ACL during the final minutes of a playoff game, word is surfacing Washington Redskins star Robert Griffin III could return to the field to kick off the NFL 2013 season.
ESPN reported Thursday that Griffin, who underwent reconstructive knee surgery last month to fix the torn ACL and MCL ligaments in his right knee, has been making enough progress in his recovery thus far that team and league sources believe that the superstar quarterback could return by Week 1 of the NFL season this fall.
"Griffin recently returned to Washington, where he spent some time rehabbing. Those who know him insist he is a physical freak, not unlike Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, who was able to rush for 2,097 yards and win the MVP award the season after undergoing major knee surgery," the website reported.
Griffin, who won the NFL Offensive Player of the Year this season in his rookie campaign, led the Redskins to their first NFC title in 13 years this past season. However, the decision to play Griffin, who had sustained a knee injury earlier in the season, against the Seattle Seahawks last month was questioned, with criticism being directed at Washington head coach Mike Shanahan.
Griffin defended the decision to play shortly after his injury. ""Many may question, criticize & think they have all the right answers. But few have been in the line of fire in battle," Griffin tweeted.
Regarding Griffin's recovery, the Redskins star will have to go through several major hurdles if he wants to get ready in the next seven months for Opening Day, but Griffin's remarkable physical gifts could help him recover faster, as Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson did when he came back this past season from a similar injury. Typically, recovery time from an ACL injury among athletes takes between eight to 12 months, given the severity of the injury.
Still, don't expect the Redskins to rush Griffin back, as they will likely play it safe in order to protect their superstar player. Aside from that, backup quarterback Kirk Cousins drew positive reviews in his play during the season, leaving Washington with a capable substitute while they await the passing/rushing quarterback sensation Griffin to return to the gridiron once again.
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