Robert Griffin III was a clear superstar at the college level while playing for Baylor University, winning the Heisman Trophy in 2011, and was viewed as a player who could translate that superstardom to the NFL level after being selected second overall by the Washington Redskins in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Griffin was one of the most promising quarterbacks in college football that year and did not disappoint in his first season in the nation’s capital, winning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and becoming one of the most exciting young players in the league with a bright future ahead of him.
Unfortunately, Griffin was unable to stay healthy and suffered frequent injuries, eventually leaving the team in 2016 to sign with the Cleveland Browns in an attempt to revive his once-promising football career at the professional level.
His situation hasn’t improved much since then, and although he went unsigned in 2017, he was given another chance at the NFL, signing with the Baltimore Ravens as a backup to proven veteran Joe Flacco and talented youngster Lamar Jackson.
Although Griffin didn’t last long in Baltimore, he left a lasting impression on late offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris, which prompted the former NFL quarterback to thank him on Twitter.
“He always tried to be more than just someone who tells you what to do and how to do it. He showed you how to live, how to love, and how to work through your passion, so you never needed to have a real job in life,” Griffin wrote.
Rest in peace Coach Joe D’Alessandris. He was more than just an offensive line coach. He was family to everyone he met.
The way this man treated our family from the first day he met them showed his true character.
He always tried to be more than that. pic.twitter.com/LouVBgDARs
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) August 25, 2024
D’Alessandris had a very long and rewarding career in football, beginning as a graduate assistant at Western Carolina University in 1977.
He began his career in 1977 and spent much of his time as an offensive line coach in college before moving to the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2008. He then had stints with the Buffalo Bills and then the San Diego Chargers before joining the Ravens in 2017.
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Ravens mourn loss of longtime coach
