Mike Shanahan lets stats tell story

• Recommend0
• Tweet0
• Comments0
• Email
• Print

Donovan McNabb said last week on "ESPN First Take" that Robert Griffin III wouldn't be a good fit with Mike Shanahan. The Washington Redskins coach, given a chance to respond, told The Washington Post that he was taking "the high road."

"I'd like to let the statistics speak for themselves," Shanahan told the newspaper. "I think I can take the high road."

During an "ESPN First Take" appearance last Thursday, McNabb was asked whether Shanahan is a good fit for the Baylor quarterback known as RG3.

"No," McNabb replied. "I say that because a lot of times ego gets too involved when it comes to being in Washington."

He played for Shanahan in Washington in 2010, when the Redskins went 6-10, the QB was benched twice, and there were testy exchanges involving McNabb's agent and the team. He was traded to the Minnesota Vikings in 2011 and went 1-5 as a starter last season before being waived.

"I was misused. Absolutely," McNabb said of his time under Shanahan.

McNabb pointed to the records of the quarterbacks Shanahan has employed (Rex Grossman and John Beck with the Redskins, and Brian Griese with the Broncos), besides his own experience in the coach's system, to base his criticism.

"You can go by so many different stats," Shanahan told The Post. "The perception, the most basic one people look at is, 'Did you win a Super Bowl at the end of the day?' "

Shanahan, of course, won two Super Bowls with John Elway as his quarterback. But The Post also pointed out in its story that every quarterback that has started more than two years in Shanahan's system has been to a Pro Bowl -- Griese (2000), Jake Plummer (2005) and Jay Cutler (2008).

The Redskins own the No. 2 overall pick after completing a blockbuster trade with the St. Louis Rams and likely will draft Griffin, if Andrew Luck is selected No. 1 overall by the Indianapolis Colts as expected. The draft is April 26-28.

Luck worked out for the Colts at Stanford on Tuesday.

The Redskins never requested and will not ask for a private workout with Griffin, believing they saw what they needed at his pro day, a team source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter on Tuesday.

The Redskins also will not request a private workout by Luck.

Griffin believes there's no need to risk an injury when he's assured of being selected in the top two spots, a league source told Schefter.

Information from ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter and The Associated Press was used in this report.

• Recommend0
• Tweet0
• Comments0
• Email
• Print
• Subscribe