Robert Griffin III needs to hire a new “Liker.”
The Washington Redskins quarterback appeared to “like” an Instagram post trashing the Redskins for benching him in favor of Kirk Cousins for the 2015 season.
Griffin said that it wasn’t him, it was an intern.
Whatever.
It’s just the latest chapter in the Redskins’ quarterback soap opera, and it brings to mind other social media gaffes by athletes.
Lolo Jones’ Eric LeGrand tweet
There could be a whole article dedicated to Lolo Jones’ social media gaffes. But this one takes the cake because of its insensitivity to both paralysis and football head injuries.
Eric LeGrand, a Rutgers football player who was paralyzed in a 2010 game, kiddingly challenged the U.S. track star to a race in 2012 on Twitter.
Jones responded by telling LeGrand to get checked for a concussion and that he’d obviously been “hit in the head.”
Jones apparently didn’t know who LeGrand was or that he was confined to a wheelchair.
This falls into the category of social media gaffes that could be avoided by paying just a little more attention to the news.
LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 07: Lolo Jones of the United States looks on after competing in the Women’s 100m Hurdles Semifinals on Day 11 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 7, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
Ashton Kutcher’s Joe Paterno tweet
You didn’t necessarily have to be a news junkie to be aware of the Penn State sex abuse scandal in 2011. You basically just needed to have eyes and/or ears.
Ashton Kutcher has both, but he was still somehow unaware that when Penn State fired Joe Paterno, it was because of the feeling that he didn’t do enough when he learned that assistant coach Jerry Sandusky was sexually abusing children.
Kutcher tweeted, “How do you fire Jo Pa? #insult #noclass as a hawkeye fan I find it in poor taste”
The “That 70’s Show” star apparently thought they were showing the 84-year-old Paterno the door because of his age. Now Kutcher has a staff handling his Twitter account.
He might want to ask RGIII how that’s working out for him.
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – JULY 13: Actor Ashton Kutcher takes a selfie prior to the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Final match between Germany and Argentina at Maracana on July 13, 2014 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
Cardale Jones “classes are pointless” tweet
Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones stunned the sports world in 2012 with a tweet suggesting that going to class isn’t a huge priority for big-time college athletes.
Really? Who knew?
Jones tweeted: “Why should we have to go to class if we came here to play FOOTBALL, we ain’t come to play SCHOOL, classes are POINTLESS”
That tweet came under scrutiny two years later when Jones rose to prominence during Ohio State’s run to a national championship. He posted several tweets earlier this year touting the value of education, and it seems he put those thoughts to action by staying at Ohio State and not entering the NFL draft.
Perhaps the infamous tweet posted during his redshirt season can be attributed to youthful indiscretion.
during the College Football Playoff National Championship Game at AT&T Stadium on January 12, 2015 in Arlington, Texas.
Johnny Manziel’s “can’t wait to leave college station” tweet
Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel made it pretty clear that 2013 would be his last year at Texas A&M when he posted a tweet that included the words “I can’t wait to leave college station.”
Included in that tweet was a bad word that kids shouldn’t hear or read.
Like most athletes who put their foot in their mouth via social media, Manziel backtracked. Even then, however, it wasn’t a total mea culpa. He professed his love for Texas A&M, but also said “please please walk a day in my shoes.”
Manziel finally got to leave College Station. Let’s hope he’s liking Cleveland better.
NEW YORK, NY – MAY 08: Johnny Manziel of the Texas A&M Aggies takes the stage after he was picked #22 overall by the Cleveland Browns during the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall on May 8, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Rashard Mendenhall’s Osama bin Laden tweet
Days after 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden was killed by American soldiers in Pakistan in 2011, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall tweeted: “What kind of person celebrates death? It’s amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We’ve only heard one side …”
Mendenhall later tweeted “We’ll never know what really happened. I just have a hard time believing a plane could take a skyscraper down demolition style” but deleted that tweet.
Steelers fans weren’t thrilled with Mendenhall to begin with after he fumbled in Super Bowl XLV to derail the Steelers’ comeback against the Packers. Mendenhall’s days with the Steelers essentially ended two years later when he didn’t bother to show up at Heinz Field after being deactivated for a game.
Mendenhall played for the Arizona Cardinals in 2013 before retiring at age 26. Now he’s a writer for the HBO show “Ballers.” Hopefully he’s too busy to post crazy stuff on social media.
GLENDALE, AZ – OCTOBER 23: Runningback Rashard Mendenhall #34 of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on October 23, 2011 in Glendale, Arizona. The Steelers defeated the Cardinals 32-20. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)