Robert Griffin III's dad responds to Rob Parker
8:44PM EST December 13. 2012 - ASHBURN, VA. -- Robert Griffin II said he isn't taking offense with disparaging racial comments made by an ESPN First Take commentator Thursday, because "it's not going to benefit" anyone.
Earlier in the day, during the show, commentator Rob Parker, who is black, had questioned Robert Griffin III's authenticity by asking, "Is he a brother, or is he a cornball brother?" Parker then continued his criticism of the Washington Redskins rookie quarterback:
"He's not real. OK, he's black, he kind of does the thing, but he's not really down with the cause," Parker said. "He's not one of us. He's kind of black, but he's not really, like, the guy you want to hang out with because he's off to something else.
"We all know he has a white fiancee. There was all this talk about how he's a Republican ... Tiger Woods was like, 'I've got black skin but don't call me black.'"
Griffin II told USA TODAY Sports he was baffled by the comments but wouldn't fire back Thursday night, even though Parker's remarks ignited the blogosphere and sparked angry social media responses. A few minutes later after his father spoke, Griffin III tweeted to supporters: "I'm thankful for a lot of things in life and one of those things is your support. Thank you."
ESPN spokesman Mike Soltys told USA TODAY Sports that Parker's comments "were inappropriate and we are evaluating our next steps."
Griffin II said his next steps were to dismiss Parker's remarks.
"He needs to define what 'one of us' is. That guy needs to define that," he said. "I wouldn't say it's racism. I would just say some people put things out there about people so they can stir things up.
"Robert is in really good shape on who he is, where he needs to get to in order to seek the goals he has in life ... so I don't take offense."
During his weekly news conference Wednesday, Griffin III said he didn't want to be defined by race.
"You want to be defined by your work ethic, the person you are, your character, your personality," he said. "I am an African-American in America. But I don't have to be defined by that."