Washington Redskins star quarterback Robert Griffin III is having surgery today on a torn ligament in his right knee – and to see if there’s a second ligament that also needs to be repaired.
Baylor coach Art Briles confirmed Tuesday night that his former player has a torn lateral collateral ligament. Briles said the surgery also will determine whether Griffin has damaged the anterior cruciate ligament.
A torn LCL requires a rehabilitation period of several months, possibly extending into training camp and the start of next season. A torn ACL is a more severe injury, typically requiring nine to 12 months of recovery.
Griffin tore his ACL in the same knee while playing for Baylor in the third game of the 2009 season and missed the rest of the year.
Griffin sprained the LCL last month against the Baltimore Ravens and missed one game. He returned wearing a bulky black brace for subsequent games and reinjured the knee at least twice during Sunday’s playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks, prompting a national debate over whether coach Mike Shanahan endangered his franchise player’s career by not taking him out sooner.
The Redskins said a magnetic resonance imaging taken after the game was inconclusive, so Griffin flew to Florida on Tuesday for a more detailed examination conducted by orthopedist James Andrews. Andrews will perform the surgery.
COORDINATORS FIRED
Dallas fired defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.
The Jets fired offensive coordinator Tony Sparano after one season and let the contract of defensive coordinator Mike Pettine expire.
EXTRA POINTS
The Panthers will interview Titans vice president of player personnel Lake Dawson for their general manager position. Dawson is a graduate of Federal Way High. ... Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant had surgery on his broken left index finger after postponing it for the final three games of the season. ... Minnesota assistants Mike Singletary and Mike Priefer will interview for Chicago’s coaching job. Singletary was a two-time NFL defensive player of the year (1985, 1988) as a middle linebacker for the Bears. ... The Browns interviewed Marc Trestman, coach of the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League, for their coaching vacancy. Also, the Browns asked permission to speak with Indianapolis offensive coordinator Bruce Arians. ... Arians returned to Indianapolis after being released from a Baltimore hospital following a 36-hour stay for an undisclosed illness. ... The Panthers fired running backs coach John Settle, receivers coach Fred Graves and linebackers coach Warren Belin. ... The Cardinals promoted vice president for player personnel Steve Keim, who has worked for the team for 14 years, to general manager. ... TV analyst Bill Cowher, coached the Steelers from 1992-2006, said he probably will return to coaching at some point.
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