For Immediate Release
January 14, 2013
ROBERT GRIFFIN III NAMED PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY/PFWA
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. – Pro Football Weekly, along with the Pro Football Writers of America, announced that Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III has been named their overall Rookie of the Year and Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Griffin III, 22, finished the season having completed 258-of-393 passes (65.6 percent) for 3,200 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, only five interceptions and a passer rating of 102.4, all team rookie records. In addition, he rushed 120 times for 815 yards with seven rushing touchdowns in 2012, all three of which are team records for a quarterback. His 102.4 passer rating, 1.3 interception rate and 815 rushing yards are all NFL records for rookie quarterbacks. Griffin III also led the NFL in yards per pass attempt (8.14), yards per rush attempt (6.8) and least interceptions thrown among players with 300-plus pass attempts (5).
Griffin III began and finished his rookie campaign making history. With a season-opening win against the New Orleans Saints, he became the first player born in the 1990s to start at quarterback in NFL history. In the victory he completed 19-of-26 passes for 320 yards and two touchdowns and finished with a passer rating of 139.9, becoming the first player in NFL history to compile 300-plus passing yards, two or more passing touchdowns and no interceptions in an NFL debut. Griffin III finished the regular season helping the Redskins defeat the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17 to win their first NFC Championship since 1999. He surpassed 800 yards rushing for the season in the game, becoming the first rookie quarterback with 800-plus yards on the ground and 3,000-plus passing yards in a season. Griffin III also earned his first career Pro Bowl selection, becoming the first Redskins offensive rookie to earn a selection since Larry Brown in 1969.
Griffin III is the first member of the Redskins to be named Pro Football Weekly/PFWA Offensive Rookie of the Year since Mike Thomas received the honor in 1975. Pro Football Weekly's annual awards are all selected by PFW editors and contributors along with members of the Professional Football Writers of America.