Robert Griffin III left viewers with a head-turning moment during BYU’s 28-17 win over Arizona in Week 2, when the Fox Sports analyst brought up a strange story about Bear Bachmeier and his family.
Late in the fourth quarter, Griffin was on the call with play-by-play announcer Connor Onion when he spotted Bachmeier’s mother, April, in the stands. That prompted Griffin to reference something he said Bachmeier had told him earlier in the week about “naked family dinners,” turning a routine broadcast into a very odd exchange.
RGIII: “[Bear] he told us that at the dinners, you know, sometimes they just, they just take the clothes off and they walk around naked. You naked at your dinners with the family?
Onion: “Do I have to answer that?”
RGIII: “You don’t have to answer that because I don’t think anybody listening right now really kind of does that.”
The moment came with the game already out of reach, and Griffin appeared to be reaching for something to say as the clock wound down. Bachmeier has not been asked about the claim since, and Griffin has not explained it either.
Bachmeier remains the centerpiece of a BYU team that has climbed to No. 9 in the country and sits undefeated as one of the Big 12 favorites. The sophomore quarterback has been leading the Cougars since last season, when he helped guide them to a 12-2 record and a win over Georgia Tech in the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
Last season, Bachmeier threw for 3,033 yards with 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while also adding 527 rushing yards and 11 scores on the ground. This year, he has already piled up 642 passing yards, six passing touchdowns and one interception, plus two rushing touchdowns.
Originally from Murrieta, Calif., Bachmeier also has a backstory behind the name “Bear.” He explained over the summer that his older brother’s nickname is Tiger, and the family connection runs through several generations.
“Tiger’s real name is James," Bear explained over the summer. "Tiger is the fourth.
James Bachmeir I is my dad’s grandpa and he was a fighter pilot, he smoked those unfiltered Camels. When my dad was growing up, James I would always tell my dad, ‘Get over here Tiger,’ and my dad always thought that was cool so he named James IV Tiger and then he said 'The best one’s gotta be named Bear."
BYU is back in action in Week 4 on the road against TCU.
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