Muhammad Ali famously punished Floyd Patterson in the ring for calling him Cassius Clay. Osi Umenyiora didn't need the beating to change his tune on RG3.
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The New York Giants defensive end dubbed the Washington Redskins' rookie quarterback "Sir" on Thursday, months after his preseason slight toward Robert Griffin III. Umenyiora called him "Bob Griffin" in July and said the rookie hadn't earned the RG3 nickname in the NFL.
"Sir. His name is Sir Robert Griffin," Umenyiora told the New York Daily News. "All the respect in the world goes to him. A phenomenal football player."
The Giants host the Redskins on Sunday and get their first up-close look at Griffin, who has thrown for 1,343 yards and five touchdowns with a 70.2 completion percentage in addition to 379 rushing yards and six more TDs.
"I opened my mouth, and I said when he does anything in the league, we're going to call him his name," Umenyiora said. "And he's definitely earned whatever he wants to be called; he's earned that for sure."
Follow Kareem Copeland on Twitter @kareemcopeland.