Robert Griffin III’s Father Gets 10 Days In Jail For Speeding, Reckless Driving

Robert Griffin III’s father, Robert Griffin Jr., was sentenced to 10 days in jail in Virginia following an August arrest for speeding and reckless driving, the Washington Times is reporting.

On August 2, the elder Griffin was caught going 115 MPH along a stretch of Interstate 64 in Hampton, Virginia — the speed limit on that stretch of road is 60 MPH. On Wednesday, Griffin appeared before a judge and pleaded not guilty. However, the judge found him guilty and sentenced him to 60 days in jail, with 50 days suspended. He’ll serve the 10 days on consecutive weekends beginning October 2. He was also fined $5oo.

The elder Griffin’s attorney confirmed that he is the father of the Washington Redskins quarterback but declined to comment further.

Throughout the younger Griffin’s career, his father has been an active and vocal supporter. In fact, the elder Griffin has actually been a thorn in the side of Redskins management, even going so far as to try to influence their coaching decisions, Bleacher Report writer Jason Cole said in a 2013 report.

“Griffin’s father has increasingly become the kind of nuisance that some people warned NFL executives about before the 2012 draft. In recent weeks, according to two sources close to the situation, the elder Griffin has politicked [Redskins Owner] Snyder to hire Baylor coach Art Briles, who coached the younger Griffin to a Heisman Trophy, to replace Shanahan.”

During the younger Griffin’s college days at Baylor, the elder Griffin was every bit the same nuisance to the Bears’ football program that he is to the Washington Redskins. He was known to talk to the media on behalf of his son, conduct interviews, release training videos, and was even captured on video in the Bears’ locker room helping his son stretch.

Whether it’s due to his father’s interference, his own history of being hard-headed and resistant to criticism, or some other factor, Griffin’s current coach on the Redskins, Jay Gruden, seems to have a vendetta against the former Rookie of the Year quarterback, according to Larry Brown Sports. During an August pre-season game, Gruden kept sending Griffin onto the field despite taking repeated, severe hits. Another NFL coach, who declined to be identified, said at the time that he was appalled at how Gruden was treating Griffin.

“I have never, ever, on any level, seen a head coach treat his quarterback with such a lack of respect… It looks personal to me.”

As of this post, Robert Griffin III is considered a backup quarterback to the Redskins’ Kirk Cousins.

[Image courtesy of: Getty Images/Matt Hazlett]