Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan recently revealed to NFL.com's Kimberly Jones that Robert Griffin III is ahead of schedule in his recovery from reconstructive knee surgery, but cautioned that it's a lengthy process usually filled with ups and downs.
Griffin's orthopedic surgeon, however, has no interest in tamping down expectations. Dr. James Andrews recently described the quarterback as "superhuman" in his ability and motivation to recover from surgery to repair the anterior cruciate and lateral collateral ligaments in his right knee.
Andrews went on to compare Griffin to Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson and former two-sport star Bo Jackson as exceptional natural athletes and genetic freaks to whom conventional recovery timetables don't apply.
While those comments from Andrews might seem hyperbolic, a similar assessment recently was offered by Griffin's rehab partner, free-agent tight end Fred Davis.
"You can barely even tell that he's hurt. He's doing every drill" Davis said Friday on "NFL AM". "He looks comfortable and normal to me. When he first got back, I was surprised, like, 'Did you just have surgery?'"
Shanahan is doing Griffin a favor in attempting to cushion the blow if the quarterback isn't ready when the Week 1 whistle blows. To hear Davis and Andrews talk, though, it's perfectly reasonable for Redskins fans to get their hopes up.
"He works hard. Whenever he says he's going to do something, he's going to do it," Davis added. "I believe that he'll be back sooner than people expect."
Follow Chris Wesseling on Twitter @ChrisWesseling