Before the contrived ‘quarterback controversy’ that percolated on sports radio Monday morning gains more momentum than it deserves, let’s listen to what Redskins’ rookie Kirk Cousins said last week about life as one of Robert Griffin III’s reserves.
Cousins, asked how he “reconciles” the fact that he hopes to someday become a starting quarterback in NFL with playing behind a touted 22-year-old first rounder, said Thursday: “I have the long view in mind, and I’ve said it from the start: if I’m someday going to be as good as I hope to be, I’ll get an opportunity.”
Cousins completed 18 of 23 passes for 264 yards and three touchdowns against the Bears’ second and third string defense Saturday night at Soldier Field.
Griffin, meantime, completed 5 of 8 pass attempts for 49 yards against seven-time Pro-Bowl selection Julius Peppers and the rest of Chicago’s starters. Griffin was also sacked three times for minus-19 yards and lost a fumble.
“If I’m not good enough, then I won’t,” Cousins added, referring to becoming a starter, somewhere, in the future. “But I shouldn’t get that opportunity if I’m not good enough.”
“So the way I see it, I need to develop day in and day out, get better and better and if, at some point, the coaches here [or] the coaches elsewhere feel like they see something in me that merits being a starting quarterback, I’ll get that opportunity,” the 24-year-old continued. “But I’m not going to sweat the day-to-day, what my role is. I need to have the long view in mind, and if I do that, I think good things will come.”
Cousins is battling veteran Rex Grossman for the Redskins’ No. 2 job.
As for his relationship with Griffin, Cousins said it’s “great”.
“It’s been a great relationship,” he said. “I’ve said all along that Robert is a likeable guy. There’s no reason it wouldn’t be a great relationship. Neither of us are difficult people. Neither of us have difficulty relating to people. Not only would I say it’s been a good relationship so far, but I would say I have great expectations going forward that, as quarterbacks, we’ll be spending a lot of time together over the next months, years, and I expect it to grow into a tight relationship.”
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