Former Commanders QB Robert Griffin III draws backlash over viral post

Former Washington Commanders quarterback Robert Griffin III has never been one to bite his tongue and somehow always finds himself in controversy, so his jumping into the Angel Reese conversation is no surprise.

Before Reese even entered the WNBA, there's been a narrative floating around that she doesn't like fellow WNBA player Caitlin Clark. Now, it's taken another turn, this time involving not just Reese and former Washington quarterback but Reese's mother.

Recently, RGIII weighed in on social media after a disturbing post showed Reese depicted on the cover of the WNBA edition of 2K26 as a monkey. "Alright. This has got to stop. There is no place for racism in this world. Whether you like a player or not. Angel Reese should never be called or depicted as a monkey," he wrote.

But RGIII didn't stop there. He used the moment to double down on his claim that Reese hates Clark, something he says was confirmed by people in her inner circle. "People in Angel's inner circle called me and told me I was right, and Angel Reese has grown to hate Caitlin Clark because of the media always asking her about Caitlin and being constantly compared to her," he posted.

Those comments didn't sit well with Reese's mother, who fired back on X, “Man, stop with the 🧢. My daughter's 'circle' is so small & tight so I'd be interested 2 know who called U 🤔. Whomever U say 'called' U is not in her circle 2 speak on her feelings towards a media/fandom made up beef. Just stay on that side bc the doors are closed over here."

The so-called tension between Reese and Clark has spilled over into different sports entirely, showing just how invested the public and even athletes outside of basketball have become in pushing this narrative.

Ultimately, it's a conversation that consistently highlights the intersection of race, gender, and social media. And the way it's all playing out, it doesn't seem like that conversation is slowing down anytime soon.