Robert Griffin III became a household name to sports fans across the country during the fall of 2011. His 4,239 yards and 37 touchdowns led to Griffin earning the Heisman Trophy. That spring welcomed Griffin to the NFL as the second overall selection in the NFL Draft. He spent eight seasons in the league before transitioning to a sports media career that began at ESPN in 2021 and now continues with FOX Sports.
Every step of Griffin’s journey led to the next, a journey rooted in the game of football.
“This is where God is calling me to be,” says Griffin. “I was blessed to be able to do what I did with ESPN, and now with FOX Sports. To be out for a year, it gave me perspective being at home with my wife and kids. Sometimes you don’t know if this is what I’m supposed to be doing… It’s been a lot of fun.”
Following Griffin’s NFL career ending in 2021, he immediately sought a place in sports media. He auditioned for both FOX Sports and ESPN, with Bristol becoming his entry point into the media landscape.
He served three years as an analyst with ESPN but was let go by the network in 2024 with two years remaining on his deal. Unsure of what his future would hold, he benefited from the positive impression his earlier FOX audition had left with network executives.
“When Brock Huard decided to step down and no longer be on the two team at FOX, the call came almost immediately,” said Griffin. “They let me know how much they wanted me in that spot. This was an opportunity to finally make it happen with the network that recognized my talent from the jump.”
Finding Opportunity at FOX Sports
FOX Sports announced the addition of Griffin to its roster, pairing the Baylor Bears legend with Jason Benetti. Having called games for ESPN previously, the return to the booth was seamless in some respects but not all. Entering the FOX family, Griffin was instructed to be himself. An analyst that celebrates the sport of football while entertaining audiences seeking an escape.
“Me and Jason [Benetti] have incredible chemistry. We are not a crew that is having two different discussions in the booth. Jason has made me better,” explained Griffin. “We give each other the space to finish the story… For me, I always try to take something away from the play-by-play guys I worked with. They’re all different, but Jason has allowed me to truly be myself.”
Griffin says the chemistry he and Benetti have developed in a short time at FOX Sports has been natural. Before the season, the network suggested the pair work some practice games to develop their cadence on air, but both declined.
“FOX wanted me and Jason to do some practice games wanting to see where our chemistry is at. This is the moment I knew we were going to be phenomenal in the booth,” said Griffin. “Both me and Jason looked at each other and said we don’t need a practice game… It’s been like we’re riding a bike from game one this year.”
This season, Griffin’s return to the booth has been a success. FOX plans to expand his work by having him call some NFL games later this season. The 2011 Heisman winner praises FOX Sports’ family feel and is open to finding new ways to play a bigger role with the network moving forward.
“I don’t ask much from Eric Shanks and the crew, but when they call I’ll be ready to roll,” said Griffin. “Jason Benetti does college basketball. That’s certainly something I’d be open to jumping in and helping the network out with. I’m also a massive futbol (soccer) fan, and the World Cup is coming up next year. It’s been fun to see the opportunities that are out there with FOX Sports.”
Crafting a Niche as a Creator
Before joining FOX Sports, Griffin sought ways to remain active in sports media after leaving ESPN. He landed on a unique podcasting concept that blended his sports knowledge with his personality at home.
Griffin launched Outta Pocket with RG3 in late 2023 as a project to connect with digital content consumers. It eventually evolved into a podcast co-hosted by his wife, Grete Griffin.
“You’re constantly evolving with the industry. Working with my wife, it’s fun. I have the knowledge of working with the machine with my time at FOX and being inside the media. My wife is bringing you the perspective of the athlete who’s not all the way in the media and understanding different types of situations,” explained Griffin.
Grete Griffin, an Estonian-born heptathlete, joined the program in August of last year. The show often ventures outside the world of sports, featuring discussions about family, faith, and adversity tied back to athletics. The husband-and-wife dynamic is strategic, aiming to cater to different demographics with a unique blend of content and perspective.
“The networks are starting to understand that some shows that you can produce in-house can garner the same viewership as a podcast could,” explained Griffin. “My goal would be to create and maintain a show that cannot just go on television but can live on TV. That’s the goal because they’re [FOX Sports] our partner. We’re not focused on this to go anywhere else; we want to stay within that family. They’re doing things for us to ensure that happens.”
Griffin said the network has provided access to guests in what he considers a guest-driven creator economy.
“This is the new frontier. [Pat] McAfee and what he’s been able to accomplish at ESPN. That’s what most people are trying to accomplish. From our perspective, we don’t want to be like them. We want to give the viewer something more,” said Griffin.
Growing From Experience
For all the positives with Griffin’s return to FOX Sports, 2025 has been a controversial year as well.
An encounter where Griffin tweeted “Sports shows on tv should be about sports, not politics” caught the eye of ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith. That led to a public back and forth between the two former ESPN teammates.
Another encounter involved ESPN commentator Ryan Clark. The former Steeler responded to Griffin stating an opinion about Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark, which led Clark to use the race of Griffin’s current and former wife as reasoning why he felt Griffin didn’t understand what “Black women deal with.”
In the end, both incidents originated from Griffin posting his opinions on social media, something he has pulled back from since both situations went viral.
“Any kind of experience, you need to learn from it. Because of the way social media is, there’s very little room for nuance. When you take on topics that require nuance, and we’re in a place right now where everyone has a voice that there is no nuance,” explained Griffin.
While Griffin didn’t specify if any specific instance changed his approach to social media, his behavior has changed.
“What I realized was my family’s health and wellness is much more important than views, likes or anything in between,” said Griffin. “Once it got to people attacking my family, wife, and my kids and the skin color of my wife, what it made me do is say ‘how can I be better even if they’re not going to be’? For me, that was learning and adapting. I think people have noticed I’ve adjusted my approach in certain areas to not touch certain things. It’s not worth it for me.”
Elevate To Celebrate
Griffin has always prided himself on being the best teammate he can be while elevating the game of others. This season at FOX Sports has been no different, a second chance to show the audience at home who he is. Covering games, having fun, and guiding viewers away from the stresses of life remain his focus.
All of it is rooted in the game of football.
“Our crew, top to bottom, make it worth it to me where I don’t have to have a personal goal for 2026 to get what I want out of this,” noted Griffin. “I want them to get what they deserve out of it… That has always been my focus. To help the team around me be the absolute best they can be. That’s my goal for the new year; just continue to show the world who I am and be an all-time hall of fame teammate.”
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
