Before Kirk Cousins was the Pro Bowl quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings and Robert Griffin III was a blossoming ESPN analyst, the two were teammates with the Washington franchise. Not only were they teammates, but the two were also draft mates.
Washington made Robert Griffin III the No. 2 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. Then the team drafted Kirk Cousins in the fourth of the same draft. From Day 1, there was tension surrounding the two. That was largely due to the power struggle between owner Dan Snyder and then-head coach Mike Shanahan.
Snyder reportedly pushed Washington to trade up to the No. 2 pick to select Griffin. Shanahan countered his doubts about Griffin by selecting Cousins three rounds later.
Griffin was a rookie phenom before tearing his ACL in a playoff game loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Cousins, who filled in for the injured Griffin, seemed a better fit for then-offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan’s system.
Washington dealt with the debate over the two quarterbacks even after the Shanahans got fired in 2013. Ultimately, head coach Jay Gruden made a call, starting Cousins in 2015, which led to an NFC East division title and Washington parting ways with Griffin.
The tension between Cousins and Griffin followed even after they weren’t teammates. Griffin became a backup quarterback in Cleveland and Baltimore. Meanwhile, Cousins landed one of the most lucrative contracts in NFL history, signing with the Vikings in 2018.
On Sunday, the two cross paths. After Cousins threw three touchdowns to rally the NFC over the AFC for a 35-33 win in the Pro Bowl Games, ESPN tabbed Griffin to interview Cousins.
The moment appeared awkward, especially for onlooking Washington fans.
But after the two talked, things turned surprisingly pleasant. Griffin and Cousins embraced and even spoke with each other after the cameras panned away.
Washington fans and media have always compared Griffin and Cousins. Many have picked sides in the ordeal. It’s welcoming to see the two players let bygones be bygones. Hopefully, their beef is squashed, finally.
