The interview, such as at it was, lasted 38 seconds and covered a walk of roughly two football fields, from the Redskins’ practice bubble, across the parking lot and to the team’s front door.

But Robert Griffin III spoke publicly Thursday for the first time since Coach Jay Gruden announced he was benching the starter in favor of backup Colt McCoy and had a single message to impart.

“I’m just focused on helping us win, that’s all I can do,” Griffin, 24, told a small group of reporters after the team’s two-hour practice Thursday in which he took snaps with the second-team offense as the Redskins (3-8) prepared for Sunday’s game at Indianapolis (7-4).



Robert Griffin III. (Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post)

Asked his reaction to Gruden’s decision, Griffin said cordially: “Coach’s decision. I’m here to help this team win.”

Asked how he could use the situation to move forward, he said: “Be ready to play, I’m here to help this team win any way I can.”

Gruden said Wednesday that he concluded that McCoy, 28, gave Washington the best chance to win after studying footage of all three quarterbacks’ starts.

McCoy entered the Nov. 19 game against Tennessee at halftime and engineered a come-from-behind victory. The next week, he led another come-from-behind victory over the NFC East-leading Dallas Cowboys, on the road, under the spotlight of Monday Night Football.

With Griffin fully recovered from the dislocated ankle he suffered in Week 2, Gruden restored him to the starting job the next week, at Minneapolis. Washington has lost three games since. Sunday’s loss at San Francisco was particularly disappointing, with Griffin sacked five times and throwing for a net 77 yards.

That said, Gruden named Griffin the team’s No. 2 quarterback, expected to prepare as if a starter. Gruden also said he had not given up on Griffin and hopes that the experience of getting benched would help “toughen him up.”

“I think the best man gets the job,” Gruden said Wednesday, “and if you open the door for somebody to play by injury or lack of production, that’s what happens.”