Robert Griffin III has largely taken the high road since his unceremonious departure from Washington, but perhaps the former Heisman winner still harbors some resentment toward his replacement Kirk Cousins, now of the Minnesota Vikings. Griffin, who appeared in four games including one start for Baltimore this past season, had plenty to say about the Vikings’ selection of Kellen Mond, who racked up an impressive 93 touchdowns (71 passing, 22 rushing) over his four-year stint at Texas A&M. RG3 thinks his former teammate should be sweating right now, expressing to Bleacher Report’s Adam Lefkoe that Mond’s dual-threat skill set could make him a legitimate threat to Cousins’ starting job.
“I could tell you No. 8 in Minnesota is probably not real happy right now, because Kellen Mond represents exactly what [Cousins] doesn’t do well,” opined the former NFL Rookie of the Year. “Kellen Mond is a big, physical quarterback. He can run and throw it all over the field and I don’t think that’s something that No. 8 is able to do.”
While RG3 conceded Mond needs to be more consistent than he showed during his time at A&M, but with good coaching and a scheme catered to his strengths, Griffin feels the 21-year-old could be an NFL difference-maker. “Cousins has been collecting checks there in Minnesota for a long time, taking them to 8-8 and 9-7 seasons,” said Griffin, casting doubt on Cousins’ future in Minnesota. “If he has a bad start to the year like he did last year, I could see the fans and maybe the organization leaning towards Mond if he comes in and impresses.”
Cousins has actually never had an 8-8 or 9-7 season for Minnesota (he’s finished 8-7-1, 10-6 and 7-9), though obviously Griffin’s point the Vikings have underachieved since his arrival in 2018 still stands. The 32-year-old passed for a career-high 35 touchdowns in 2020, but also committed 18 turnovers (13 interceptions, five lost fumbles) while absorbing 39 sacks, a total good for sixth-most in the NFL. Some might dismiss Griffin’s criticism as sour grapes—the Baylor alum hasn’t been the same since his ACL tear in 2013—though he’s not wrong that Cousins is facing a make-or-break season in Minnesota.
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