SAN FRANCISCO — The Washington Redskins made a significant turnaround in 2015, going from last place in the NFC East to division champions. And it all started with a change at quarterback.
Robert Griffin III was drafted as the quarterback of the future by the Redskins, but injuries and inconsistent play led to a change under center this season. And it turned out to be the right decision by coach Jay Gruden.
Kirk Cousins threw for over 4,000 yards with 29 touchdowns, and his play was a big reason why the Redskins made it to Wild Card Weekend.
The transition to Cousins wasn’t always smooth, but Redskins defensive end Ricky Jean-Francois says Griffin handled the situation well.
“It was a soap opera week in and week out because people were saying one thing. … But RG III took it like a champ, took it as a professional,” Jean-Francois told NESN.com’s Ashley Allen on Friday at Super Bowl 50 Radio Row. “He’s out there getting his skills better, but Jay felt that Kirk Cousins had the skill set. He felt that he had the confidence and all.
“Once Kirk felt he had his team and coaching staff, and plus he had the city behind him, we had the quarterback we wanted.”
For an extended interview with Francois, visit NESN’s YouTube page.