Before Sunday’s Redskins-Vikings game in Minnesota, ESPN’s Britt McHenry reported an unsavory anecdote about Robert Griffin’s teammates appearing to disrespect the quarterback late last week. Via ESPN.com:

When Griffin began addressing the media in the locker room on Friday for the first time since dislocating his left ankle in Week 2, about 15 teammates began shouting. It was so loud and distracting, the franchise quarterback — and reporters — had to leave the locker room so Griffin could speak someplace where he could be heard. That’s when the cheering got even more boisterous. A source familiar with the incident told ESPN’s Britt McHenry that Griffin has “alienated himself” from the locker room.

Local reporters strongly disagreed with McHenry’s characterization of the incident — which also appeared multiple times during ESPN’s pregame programming — and Jay Gruden upped the rhetoric during his postgame news conference.

“I saw those,” the coach said when asked about the pregame reports. “It was an amateurish report. It was totally not true. And for anybody who reads that to believe that, they’re an amateur. Anybody who reports that’s an amateur. It’s totally false. And just something else that you have to deal with up here at a press conference, that Robert has to deal with, that the players have to deal with, that they’re going to write about and ask about.

“But we are in D.C., and it is Robert Griffin, and they’re always going to try to tear him down and tear us down for whatever reason,” Gruden went on. “But we’re going to stay united as a locker room, and that’s that. We’re not going to let anybody get to us. That’s some small-time reporter reporting fiction.”

ESPN’s Michael Wilbon, a longtime Post columnist, strongly backed McHenry on Twitter before Gruden spoke.

great job by my colleague Britt McHenry — Michael Wilbon (@RealMikeWilbon) November 2, 2014

I know who I believe when it comes to credibility of the reporting or the Redskins denying...seen if up close for 30-plus years... — Michael Wilbon (@RealMikeWilbon) November 2, 2014

So, too, did Mike Freeman.

Britt McHenry's report was solid. — mike freeman (@mikefreemanNFL) November 2, 2014

But much of the Washington press corps chimed in before the game to dispute the ESPN report.

Re: ESPN locker room report: Grossly misinterpreted. The noise, yelling over intrvw was not directed at RGIII, but at Redskins PR. — Mike Jones (@ByMikeJones) November 2, 2014

Certain Redskins players have yelled, whooped and hollered over interviews in locker room for weeks since PR gave extra availability. — Mike Jones (@ByMikeJones) November 2, 2014

Is Griffin loved by every member of the team? No. who is? Not even russell Wilson. The noise was not related to players upset RGIII was back — Mike Jones (@ByMikeJones) November 2, 2014

I was in #Redskins locker room Friday. That player outburst that forced reporters from room - obnoxious as it was - not directed at RGIII — Brian McNally (@bmcnally14) November 2, 2014

Redskins players & coaches have reached out this morning to refute the report that RG3 has been alienated. "Its a lie. He's the leader." — Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) November 2, 2014

Also, I was in the locker room when "guys were yelling" along with other reporters. It wasn't about RG3. They were messing w/ Tony Wyllie — Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) November 2, 2014

Have resisted weighing in, but immature antics in Skins locker rm Fri was continued hostility toward media & PR staff. RG3 incidental @ best — Liz Clarke (@lizclarketweet) November 2, 2014

I was inside #Redskins locker room Friday.. the wild scene did NOT have anything to do with lack of respect for RG3.. it was a media thing! — Rob Carlin (@RobCarlinNBCS) November 2, 2014

Players were upset because media was inside locker room for so long.. it got ugly but did not have to do with RG3.. #RedskinsTalk — Rob Carlin (@RobCarlinNBCS) November 2, 2014

Look, like most of us, Robert has his issues. I've written about some of them. And he's not beloved by everyone in locker room. Few are. — Jason Reid (@JReidESPN) November 2, 2014

That established, the immaturity in the locker room had more to do with dislike of the media than it had to do with Robert. — Jason Reid (@JReidESPN) November 2, 2014