Pierre Garcon has played with a quarterback that is considering one of the best to ever play the game and he has played with a quarterback well on his way to earning that same reputation. The wide receiver spent four years playing with Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts, while he currently plays with Robert Griffin III and the surging Washington Redskins. So, who does he think is the better player? Naturally he goes with the player currently throwing him the ball, saying Griffin could be better than Manning someday.
Garcon spent the start of his career in Indianapolis and becoming a well-known wide receiver after being draft in sixth round by the team. He helped carry them to a to an AFC Championship win in 2009, but the team eventually lost in the Super Bowl to the New Orleans Saints. He paired as a nice deep threat for Manning, recording 47 receptions for 765 yards and four touchdowns in his second season with the team.
Garcon then signed a five-year. $42.5 million deal with the Washington Redskins where he later became a favorite target for the new rookie, Griffin. In his debut campaign with the Redskins, Garcon recorded 633 yards for four touchdowns while dealing with lingering injuries. While Griffin and Manning are two different quarterbacks, Garcon believes Griffin will reach that elite, Hall of Fame level that Manning is at.
"Peyton's very skilled with his arm, Robert is skilled with his arm and his legs, so that's what makes him more dynamic and more dangerous. But they are very similar...Robert's going to be very good, and just as good as Peyton," Garcon said.
Griffin certainly proved to be worth the hype in his rookie season. In 15 games as the Redskins starter, he passed for 3,200 yards and 20 touchdowns. He had a 65.6 completion percentage along with seven rushing touchdowns. To put this in perspective, Manning passed for 3,739 yards and 26 touchdowns in his rookie year, along with a 56.7 completion percentage.
the two players represent the traditional style of football against a new-school style of play. While Manning is a pocket-passer quarterback, Griffin operates the read-option almost better than anyone. So, Garcon certainly has a point when believing that Griffin will reach the same level as Manning. Will he eventually surpass the veteran quarterback? Only time will tell.
