Robert Griffin III will start over McCoy when he returns, Redskins say

Probably the last thing the Washington Redskins need at this point is another quarterback controversy, so head coach Jay Gruden is doing all he can to squash it before it even takes flight. Even after Colt McCoy led Washington to a 20-17 overtime victory over the conference-leading Dallas Cowboys, Gruden was steadfast: when Robert Grifin III is ready, the starting QB gig is still his.

“We went into training camp and did all the OTAs with Robert Griffin as our starter, so when Robert’s back, Robert’s our starter,” Gruden said, per the Washington Post. “That hasn’t changed. I haven’t varied off of that or wavered off of that."

Griffin has sat out the Redskins' last six games, a stretch in which Washington has gone 2-4. However, McCoy has been at the helm for those two wins, which have come in the last two weeks. Is that enough to unseat Griffin, who's the franchise's anointed savior despite not looking like even a faded reflection of his 2012 self?

Nah. The Redskins will ride with Griffin for good or ill until such time as the quarterback physically can't play. No athlete has energized the Washington fanbase like Griffin has in two decades or more, and no athlete has the ability to change the fortunes of the entire franchise, both on and off the field, the way Griffin could.

Washington has one more game against Minnesota before a bye, and neither Griffin nor Gruden indicated whether RG3 would be ready for a Vikings return. More likely is another two weeks of rest to get completely healthy, which would delight a fanbase that sorely needs some good news.

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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter.

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