Art Briles got himself a new job at Eastern New Mexico, and it didn’t take long for one of his most high-profile former players to speak up. Robert Griffin III hit social media with a full-blown endorsement of the hire, calling Briles a “great Father and Coach” and thanking Eastern New Mexico for the opportunity. He even added that he’ll be pulling up to campus to show support.
Look, no one’s really surprised RG3 still rides for Briles. They won a ton of games together at Baylor, and Griffin walked away with a Heisman. That kind of bond doesn’t just fade, even with everything that’s happened since. But seeing him publicly back Briles again, especially with all the noise around this hire, definitely raised some eyebrows.
Briles hasn’t coached at the college level since his messy exit from Baylor in 2016. Since then, every attempt to reenter the game has brought controversy, and for good reason. The fallout from his time in Waco still lingers, and the baggage didn’t magically disappear when Eastern New Mexico signed the dotted line.
But now, here comes RG3, giving the move his stamp of approval like it’s 2011 again. Whether you love it or hate it, it’s going to stir up some attention. And for a small DII school like Eastern New Mexico, attention is part of the deal. You don’t hire Art Briles without expecting headlines, and RG3 just helped write a few more.
Still, for Eastern New Mexico, the message is clear: they’re rolling the dice on Briles, and now they’ve got a Heisman winner saying they made the right call.
How it plays out from here is anyone’s guess. Briles has a shot to coach again. Griffin’s made it clear he’s in his corner. And the rest of us? We’ll be watching it unfold in Portales.
