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This Memorial Day weekend, like the rest of them, hits home for Robert Griffin III — but this one might be a little more special.
The son of two U.S. Army veterans, the former Washington Commanders quarterback returned to the nation’s capital as part of his longtime partnership with USAA.
Griffin visited USAA’s Poppy Wall of Honor, a powerful tribute that recognizes more than 600,000 service members who gave their lives in defense of our country, each represented by a single poppy, on the National Mall.
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Robert Griffin III looks on before the game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Cincinnati Bengals at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla., on Dec. 4, 2023. (David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire)
“It’s really an opportunity to share their stories. They’ve actually enhanced the exhibit even more this year by adding stories of the fallen soldiers, so you can walk around the exhibit and you can hear the stories given by their family members,” Griffin told Pakinomist Digital in a recent interview.
“Because in the military community, a lot of times we feel like maybe the sacrifices aren’t appreciated as much, or maybe we’re sometimes forgotten for the things that we do for this country. These people who are honored by this wall gave the ultimate sacrifice. So it’s not them who feels it — it’s their families.
“Hearing these stories from the families is really important and impactful, and all they want is not to be forgotten. So if we can continue to tell their stories and pay tribute to them and honor them, it keeps their stories alive.”
Griffin knows that many Americans will take advantage of the long weekend with some barbecues by the pool, but he implored everyone to realize why they are able to do it in the first place.
A wall of more than 600,000 red poppies representing U.S. service members who died in the line of duty since World War I is displayed along the National Mall in Washington, DC, on May 26, 2024. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
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“I’m not saying it’s not about that. What I’m saying is there’s a reason we’re able to do it, and it’s because of our service members who gave the ultimate sacrifice,” Griffin said. “I just want to be here with USAA and get the word out. It’s okay to have fun, but if you have a little time, get in a pinch, take a moment of silence, say a prayer, share the stories if you know someone who was in the military who made the ultimate sacrifice so we can keep those stories alive and really know why Memorial Day isn’t about us.”
Being around veterans his whole life, Griffin was able to take some lessons from those who served on the gridiron and in life.
“Yeah, it’s not two-point at all. It’s very impactful. With my parents, it was always, ‘Whatever you start, you finish.’ It’s ‘yes, ma’am,’ ‘no, ma’am,’ ‘yes, sir,’ ‘no, sir,’ and the discipline it takes to get to where you want to be means you’re going to have to overcome adversity,” he said. “When you talk about the kind of mental strength you have to have to do something like that – knowing that you might not see your mother again, your father again, your child, your husband, your wife – it’s really remarkable and it just shows you how seriously they take their service and how much they love this country.
Robert Griffin III, former NFL quarterback and ESPN analyst, watches before the game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Cincinnati Bengals at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla., on Dec. 4, 2023. (David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire)
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“If we can apply that to everything we do in life, this country will continue to grow and continue to be great at the level that it has been. To me, that’s what the military is. It’s the best of us, and these people deserve to be honored.”
