Former pro QB Robert Griffin III will be on the call during ESPN’s broadcast of the NFL’s Pro Bowl Skills Showdown this Thursday. But it wasn’t all that long ago that he was dazzling on the football field, right on his way into his own Pro Bowl nod.
Griffin, the No. 2 overall pick by Washington back in 2012, had a promising career derailed by a catastrophic knee injury. But at the height of his powers, he was known for his rocket arm, athleticism, and escapability. Griffin threw for 3,200 yards, 20 touchdowns, and just five interceptions during his debut, Offensive Rookie of the Year-winning campaign. He added 815 yards and seven more scores on the ground.
In many ways, Griffin was ahead of his time. Mobile quarterbacks were old hat, but ones that could complete 65% of their throws and post a 4:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio were much rarer. Yes, Griffin was a remarkable athlete. But did you know another impressive athlete is living under the same roof as him?
Who Is Robert Griffin III’s Wife, Grete Griffin?
Robert Griffin III’s wife, Grete Griffin (formerly Šadeiko), is an Estonian-born Heptathlete.
If you’re like this author and unfamiliar with that terminology, it’s essentially akin to a track and field gauntlet. Competitors battle in a seven-leg series of running events (200-meter sprint, 800-meter race, and 100-meter hurdles), jumping events (high and long jumps), and throwing events (shot put and javelin).
The scoring system is convoluted enough to make any math hater worth their salt squirm. And it speaks to Grete’s athleticism that she could excel in so many areas in a sport as highly specialized as track and field.
Grete notably represented her home country in the heptathlon at the World Junior Championships in both 2010 and 2012.
She enrolled at Florida State University, where she competed on the Seminoles’ track team. Info on her athletic performances while with FSU isn’t as readily accessible as it should be, frankly, but according to her LinkedIn page, she earned All-American honors and set school records in the heptathlon. She also earned a bachelor’s degree in social sciences from the university.
She had once professed a desire to compete at the Olympic level, specifically preceding the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, but the obligations of life and motherhood have prevented her from pursuing those dreams.
After all, she and Griffin have welcomed three children into the world since shortly before they were wed in 2018. Griffin memorably bolted mid-game upon learning that Grete had gone into labor.
RGIII, exit stage left 😅
Robert Griffin III got a call while on the air that his wife went into labor.
🎥 @RGIIIpic.twitter.com/KXuuWVrHTI
— The Athletic CFB (@TheAthleticCFB) January 1, 2023
Grete still gets to put her passion for health and fitness into practice professionally. According to her LinkedIn, she is the owner of Glow Fitness, writing that her business is “a fitness company aimed at helping you lose weight and gain the results you’re looking for with workouts for at-home or the gym.”
Grete certainly seems like a valuable resource to tap for someone looking to improve in the realm of health and fitness. After all, according to a 2018 TMZ interview with Robert, his wife is capable of beating a Heisman trophy-winning quarterback in a footrace.
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“Track is her realm,” Robert told TMZ Sports. “She owns the track, I own the football field, and that’s a great family dynamic.”
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