Robert Griffin III Urges Caution for Mahomes, Parsons: “Don’t Play Next Year”
Robert Griffin III knows a thing or two about the cost of rushing back from a major knee injury. The former NFL Rookie of the Year burst onto the scene with Washington in 2012, only to see his career derailed by a devastating knee injury and an ill-timed return to the field. Now, with Patrick Mahomes and Micah Parsons both sidelined by ACL injuries suffered in December, RGIII is offering a message rooted in painful experience: take the long road back.
Griffin’s advice? Sit out the entire 2026 season.
Speaking on The Dan Patrick Show, Griffin didn’t mince words when asked what Mahomes and Parsons should do next. “The No. 1 advice I would give to Micah Parsons and Patrick Mahomes right now is to not play next year,” he said.
“It’s because of when they got hurt. They both got hurt in December.”
The Long Road to 100%
Griffin isn’t just throwing out a hot take-he’s speaking from the perspective of someone who lived through it. Back in 2012, he suffered a sprained LCL in early December, sat out a game, then returned to finish the regular season.
But in Washington’s wild-card loss to Seattle, his knee gave out again. The result: a torn ACL and LCL, the same combination Mahomes is currently dealing with.
"The number one advice I would give to Micah Parsons and Patrick Mahomes right now is to not play next year."
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) December 17, 2025
– @RGIII breaks down the recovery of ACL injuries. pic.twitter.com/SL5se0c5DL
Griffin underwent surgery and returned for the 2013 season opener, skipping the preseason but starting 13 games. He was never the same.
The explosiveness, the confidence, the magic-it all faded. He never started more than seven games in a season again and was out of the league by 2020.
That’s the cautionary tale he’s offering now. Yes, medicine has advanced.
Rehab timelines have improved. But the human body still needs time-real time-to fully recover from major ligament tears.
“You don’t really feel like yourself until about 15 months after the injury,” Griffin explained. “Some guys will tell you it took 24 months to truly feel like themselves again.”
The Temptation to Return Early
Griffin was quick to acknowledge the obvious: Mahomes and Parsons are elite talents, even at less than full strength.
“Don’t get me wrong, 80% of Micah Parsons is better than dang near every pass rusher in the NFL. 80% of Patrick Mahomes is better than almost every quarterback in the NFL,” he said.
But that’s not the point. Griffin’s concern isn’t about whether Mahomes and Parsons can play in 2026-it’s about whether they should. He sees a long game here: sacrifice one season now to extend their primes well into the next decade.
“Mahomes is a guy that runs around, is very creative and a great second-reaction quarterback,” Griffin said. “He can play from the pocket, but I would advise them to not play next year so that when they come back in ‘27, they can truly and fully be themselves, and it won’t knock off years of their career.”
The Reality of the NFL Mindset
Of course, Griffin knows the odds of that happening are slim. Mahomes and Parsons are cut from the same cloth as just about every elite NFL player: wired to compete, conditioned to believe they can defy the odds.
“I’ve got sources pretty close to the situation there that Mahomes is all-in for Week 1, and we’ve seen Micah say he’s all-in for Week 1 as well,” Griffin said. “As players, we are wired to have this gladiator mindset that we can overcome anything-and we’re not normal. But at the same time, I would advise them to sit out the following season because of when they got hurt.”
Griffin made it clear: he doesn’t expect either player to take his advice. But he believes the only people who can truly protect these players from themselves are the teams.
Where Things Stand Now
Mahomes has already undergone surgery on his knee, and while the Chiefs have been eliminated from playoff contention, the timeline for his return could line up with a Week 1 comeback in 2026-if there are no setbacks.
In Kansas City, Gardner Minshew will finish out the season under center. The Chiefs’ playoff hopes are over, but all eyes are already on the long-term health of their franchise quarterback.
Parsons, meanwhile, has not yet had surgery as of Wednesday morning. But he’s made it clear he’s not backing down from the challenge ahead. In a heartfelt social media post, he framed the injury as a test of faith and resilience.
“I may be sidelined, but I am not defeated,” Parsons wrote. “This injury is my greatest test-a moment God allowed to strengthen my testimony...
I trust His timing, His plan, and His purpose. I will rise again.”
The Packers are still very much in the playoff hunt. At 9-4-1, they currently hold the NFC’s seventh seed and sit two games ahead of the Lions in the loss column.
A win this weekend in Chicago could vault them as high as the No. 2 seed. But without Parsons, their defense has a massive hole to fill.
No other Green Bay pass rusher has come close to matching his production, and without him drawing double teams, the rest of the front seven will need to find new ways to generate pressure.
A Decision That Could Define a Career
There’s no easy answer here. Mahomes and Parsons are both foundational players-faces of their franchises, leaders in the locker room, and top-tier talents who change the game when they’re on the field.
But as Griffin knows all too well, the wrong decision now could cost them more than just a season. It could reshape the rest of their careers.
And while the competitive fire in both players will almost certainly push them toward a quicker return, Griffin’s message is clear: the smart play might be the one that keeps them off the field a little longer.