"Rob Parker was right" - NFL fans react to Robert Griffin III's comments on Jackie Robinson

Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III is getting flak from fans after he made what many believed to be insensitive comments on social media platform X.

It stemmed from the recent contention surrounding former MLB player Jackie Robinson. The United States Department of Defense recently removed a tribute article to the African-American baseball pioneer Robinson, leading to widespread backlash. DoD eventually reinstated the page.

In response to the ongoing Jackie Robinson controversy, Griffin tweeted the following on Thursday:

“Sports shows on TV should be about sports not politics.”

That has led to other media personalities like ESPN host Stephen A. Smith calling him out for being "ignorant."

Other users on X were equally ruthless with their criticism.

One fan, @DaTruthiz_BAK26, posted an old video of sports analyst Rob Parker criticizing Griffin when he was playing.

They wrote: “Rob Parker was right about you.”

In the video, Rob Parker was a guest on the ESPN talk show "First Take" in 2012. He asked:

“Is he a brother or is he a cornball brother?”

Parker was questioning Robert Griffin’s racial identity.

“He’s Black, he kind of does his thing, but he’s not really down with the cause, he’s not one of us.”

Those comments ultimately led to Parker getting fired from ESPN.

This fan, @Lizzs_Lockeroom, also posted the same video and commented:

“We should apologize to Rob Parker, he nailed this one.”

This fan posted a GIF with another media personality, Shannon Sharpe, but with the caption:

“I just know Rob Parker is somewhere like”

Another fan posted this GIF with the comment:

“Rob Parker every time RG3 opens this app up posting some nonsense.”

“We all owe Rob Parker an apology,” @___Colb___ added.

“Is a conversation on Jackie Robinson not sport-related? We owe Rob Parker an apology, they fired him for telling the truth about RG3,” @RevKoka asked.

Rob Parker currently hosts the sports podcast "The Odd Couple" with co-host Kelvin Washington on Fox Sports Radio.

Robert Griffin III backtracks on comments

After his statement was skewed by both fans and other media personalities, Robert Griffin tried to backtrack on his words. He posted an eight-paragraph response on X.

In the tweet, the former Washington Commanders and Baltimore Ravens quarterback did not apologize. Instead, he wrote:

“The facts are (sic) the timing wasn’t right for my nuanced take.”

After his playing career ended, Robert Griffin had a stint as a media analyst at ESPN and currently shares his thoughts on his own podcast, “RG3 and The Ones."