Robert Griffin III stepped to the podium Monday with a new cornrow hairstyle. The Washington Redskins quarterback joked it was a sign of bigger changes to come.
"New phase, new hair, let's do it," Griffin said. "More reps in practice. Being a football player."
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That "new phase" means an increase of on-field activities for the franchise star. On Monday morning, he participated in an 11-on-11 walkthrough with teammates for the first time this training camp. Griffin told reporters "the plan" is to participate in 11-on-11 drills Tuesday. But due to a practice scheduling issue, Griffin will have to wait until Wednesday for full 11-on-11 participation, coach Mike Shanahan told reporters Monday afternoon.
"I don't think it's a huge step. I just think it's time to get back out there with my teammates," RGIII said of the next stage in his recovery process. "I've proven I can protect myself and I'm dang near close to 100 percent, so I feel good, and now I'm glad that coach feels the same way."
Shanahan wasn't as forthcoming on the topic of Griffin's next step. In a conversation with NFL.com's Albert Breer, the coach was asked how a determination is made regarding the quarterback's readiness for 11-on-11 drills.
"We haven't yet, but it's going to be day by day," Shanahan said. "Just like the next couple of days with our two-a-days, what we're going to add to what he's been doing is our walkthroughs, which today was about 30 minutes. So he got a chance to work with the team, which is something he hasn't been doing. Looked like he did a good job."
Griffin reiterated "there's no doubt" he'll be ready for the start of the regular season. He said he's never had any soreness in his surgically repaired knee, while adding that he doesn't "understand the whole (rehab) plan at all."
Griffin was asked by a reporter to elaborate on that thought.
"Basically, the parts that I don't understand is that it's been fixed," he said. "The rehab process, or my reintegration into the team has been fixed without any aspect of how I'm doing personally with my knee, with my rehab.
"It's predetermined, and that's the one thing I don't understand. But like Coach said, and he's 100 percent right, I don't have to understand, I don't have to like it, but at the end of the day, if he plays me Week 1 and I'm ready to go, then I'll give him a salute and I'll go play my butt off for him."
Griffin still wants to play in the Redskins' third preseason game against the Buffalo Bills next week.
"Coach has been saying if things go great these next couple days and next week, then maybe," Griffin said. "But it's a hard no right now. It's my job to make it a soft no and possibly a yes."
Consider it an upset if we see Griffin in live action before the Sept. 9 season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. "Operation: Patience" got its name for a reason, but all continues to be trending in the right direction.
UPDATE: Griffin later felt compelled to take to Twitter to dismiss the notion he is not on the same page as Shanahan.
