Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said Dr. James Andrews will make the final decision as to whether or not Robert Griffin III will return for the season opener. Andrews examined Griffin before the Redskins 24-13 preseason win over Pittsburgh on Monday, watching him perform on the field and then checking out his surgically-repaired right knee.
It’s the first time Andrews has evaluated Griffin since training camp started. Shanahan said Andrews will re-examine Griffin after the preseason finale. Andrews performed the Jan. 9 surgery on Griffin's right knee and has consistently said the quarterback is ahead of schedule.
“He’ll give us the yay or nay, but right now feels that his progress has been good,” Shanahan said. “If there are no setbacks he thinks he’ll be ready.
“He really feels the same way as he did before camp with practice -- he feels good about him practicing. He doesn’t feel like we should put him in any [preseason] games. ... If Dr. Andrews felt his knee wasn’t ready, we surely wouldn’t play him [in the opener]. We surely wouldn’t play him if he didn’t feel that it was in the best interest of Robert and this organization to play him. He’s been doing great and there’s no reason to have a setback, but you never know.”
Griffin worked out before the game, taking the same pre-game snaps as the others while wearing a white T-shirt that read, “Operation Patience.” He smiled and laughed and even shook hands with Andrews.
“We’re going to have two more weeks of practice and we’re going to put him through situations like we’ve been doing over the last three and a half weeks,” Shanahan said, “and keep our fingers crossed that there isn’t a setback. If there isn’t, he should be ready for Philadelphia.”
