Redskins’ locker room problem: Lack of leaders, and don’t just blame RG3

The recent swirl of reports on the Washington Redskins and their locker room situation have been tough to decipher and sort through. But we liked the strong take of the Washington Post’s Jason Reid, who cut through some of the nonsense with a knife, and a fairly sharp one, to boot.

ESPN had reported that Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III had alienated himself from the rest of the team, a report that Jay Gruden bashed after Sunday’s loss as “amateurish.”

Still, it’s hard not to read what Reid wrote Tuesday and wonder if the problem isn’t with Griffin, but with his teammates — and the glaring lack of overall professionalism and leadership among the other 52 players in the locker room.

Last Friday, many players showed their immaturity by shouting as Griffin attempted to speak with reporters in the locker room, ignoring a high-ranking team official’s repeated requests to tone it down. And even after Griffin and reporters moved into a hallway, players continued shouting, prompting the official to leave Griffin and address the ringleaders.

This goes beyond boys being boys. This is not how players in any workplace should be acting. 

There’s more:

Griffin appeared embarrassed by the unprofessionalism of his teammates, who clearly demonstrated a lack of respect for Washington’s supposed franchise quarterback. You think Peyton Manning or Tom Brady have to flee their own locker rooms to conduct interviews? Griffin isn’t universally beloved — few players are on any team — but his popularity had little do to with the clown antics.

The point about Griffin is most notable. We’re guessing that Manning isn’t universally beloved by the Denver Broncos either, or that Brady is every New England Patriots player’s best friend. That’s not the point; the point is that they are respected for their work and the unique challenges they face as their teams’ quarterbacks and the ones that the media and fans turn to first when things go wrong.

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Perhaps Griffin still needs to work on his game, on and off the field. Maybe his unique personality isn’t going to endear him to every Redskin, and he certainly — like any young player finding his way — can work to find the right way to lead, or lead by example.

But if the remainder of the Redskins players are not willing to do their part and step up to create a conducive and mature atmosphere, then Griffin doesn’t have a chance to do his complete job.

Reid continues:

If the Redskins had a take-charge leader who commanded widespread respect, he would have interceded before the nonsense that swirled around Griffin’s interview got out of hand. He would have realized that the Redskins already have had too many self-inflicted public relations disasters. He would have stopped the ridiculousness before additional reports about their warped organizational culture resulted in another game-day distraction. 

The Redskins need a London Fletcher or two or three. They need fewer locker room lawyers and impediments. Childish distractions don’t happen on successful teams. Look at what Bruce Arians and Chip Kelly are building in Arizona and Philadelphia, respectively, and see how much stock they put into having tightly knit teams. Their success on the field is not a happy coincidence, we believe.

Culture is important in the NFL, and while talent trumps all, it’s important to have players looking out for each other for the greater good. They might not love the guy one locker over from them, but players have to realize that chaos in the workplace has a way of dividing teams more easily than it does uniting them.

Maybe, as Reid suggests, players such as Ryan Kerrigan, Ryan Clark or Jason Hatcher can step up into that leadership void. Griffin must do his part, too, but he can’t shoulder the responsibility all alone.

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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Eric_Edholm