Robert Griffin III defends Kevin Brown, slams Orioles for suspension over on-air comments - "He was doing his job"
For Robert Griffin III, sportscaster Kevin Brown did nothing wrong during the broadcast of the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Tampa Bay Rays.
The former NFL quarterback pleaded on Brown’s behalf by tweeting:
“Kevin Brown SHOULD NOT have been suspended by the Orioles for this segment. He was doing his job, stating facts and telling the truth.”
Kevin Brown SHOULD NOT have been suspended by the Orioles for this segment. He was doing his job, stating facts and telling the truth. pic.twitter.com/fOL2kQM4TS
Brown was indefinitely suspended for pointing out the Orioles’ pathetic performance at Tropicana Field, the Rays’ home stadium.
Which MLB team does Robert Griffin III support?
While he did not publicly state his affinity for an MLB team, Robert Griffin III might be supporting one of the Texas-based squads. After all, he grew up in Copperas Cove, Texas, after living in Okinawa, Japan, Tacoma, Washington, and New Orleans, Louisiana.
While Griffin was a three-sport star in high school, baseball was not one of those disciplines. Still, it’s possible that he enjoyed the sport while supporting either the Houston Astros or the Texas Rangers.
Houston is roughly a three-hour drive from Copperas Cove. Meanwhile, the Rangers are based in Arlington, about two-and-a-half hours away from Griffin’s hometown.
What happened to Orioles broadcaster Kevin Brown?
Brown is the Orioles’ play-by-play announcer, making him an employee of the team. He was suspended for allegedly stressing out the team’s undesirable record against their American League East rivals at the Rays’ home turf.
According to Awful Announcing, Brown was sanctioned by stating that Baltimore won more games against the Rays in 2023 than in 2021 and 2022 combined. Here’s a clip of Brown’s pre-game segment that might have put him on the hot seat.
Here's the clip of Kevin Brown's pregame comments on the Orioles' recent record against the Rays ahead of a series finale on July 23. Sources tell AA these comments led to Brown's current indefinite suspension from Orioles' broadcasts. pic.twitter.com/csURU04fJU
However, Brown pointed out the Orioles’ opportunity to pick up a series win behind Tyler Wells’ pitching. The supporting graphic also strengthened Brown’s spiel about how the team struggled to pick up victories in St. Petersburg.
Robert Griffin III’s transition from quarterback to broadcaster
Injuries have derailed Griffin III’s once-promising NFL career. The former Baylor standout took the league by storm by winning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2012.
He was also selected to the Pro Bowl and the Pro Football Writers Association’s All-Rookie Team after finishing with 3,200 passing yards and 20 touchdowns. Griffin III added 815 rushing yards and seven touchdowns in his stellar rookie campaign.
Unfortunately, he did not play in the 2012 Pro Bowl because of injuries to the ACL and LCL ligaments on his right knee. Those injuries hounded him throughout his nine-season NFL career.
He only played nine games for the Washington Redskins in 2014 due to a dislocated left ankle. Worst yet, Robert Griffin III lost his starting quarterback role to Kirk Cousins in 2015.
While he had playing stints with the Cleveland Browns and the Baltimore Ravens, he wasn’t the same dangerous quarterback anymore.
He retired from football after the 2020 season. A year later, he signed a multi-year contract with ESPN. He has been a mainstay in the network’s football programs like NFL Live and College GameDay.
Being a sportscaster is right down his alley because he pursued a Master’s in communications after finishing his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science.