In the shot heard around the NFL, Washington Redskins rookie coach Jay Gruden officially benched quarterback Robert Griffin III on Wednesday.

Griffin, who has been unable to recapture the record-setting form of his rookie season of 2012 since that year ended with a torn right ACL and LCL in a playoff loss to Seattle, will be replaced by Colt McCoy, who stunned Dallas in Week 8 in his only start since 2011 when he was with Cleveland.

On Monday, Gruden had said that his “intent” was to keep Griffin as his starter but he wouldn’t commit until watching the film of the previous day’s 17-13 defeat at San Francisco in which the 2011 Heisman Trophy winner had completed 11 of 19 passes for just 106 yards.

However, Gruden then watched tape of Griffin’s four-plus games and McCoy’s game and a half and decided to reverse field, adding to what he termed “the merry-go-round” that is the Redskins’ starting quarterback situation, which has changed four times in 12 games.

“We’re searching for answers on offense, and it all starts with the quarterback position,” Gruden said. “Colt is 2-0 (beating Tennessee in relief of Kirk Cousins and the subsequent upset of Dallas).

“We’re not trying to pin all the troubles offensively on Robert, but we didn’t get much production with him as the starter, so we had to make a change. For whatever reason, he just hasn’t had the success that everybody’s expecting. We just feel that Colt deserves another opportunity.”

—Geno Smith will start Monday night for the New York Jets, who started Michael Vick in the past three games and went 1-2.

New York is 2-9 and Smith struggled mightily in his second season in the NFL. He went 1-7 with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Vick took over when Smith threw three first-quarter interceptions against the Buffalo Bills on Oct. 26. However, Vick had a bad night against the Bills on Monday, going 7-for-19 for 76 yards and an interception before being pulled late in the third quarter of a game the Jets lost 38-3.

—Cleveland Browns coach Mike Pettine has no plans to keep Johnny Manziel off the field because of a late-night incident with a fan that took place last Saturday.

Pettine told ESPN’s “Mike and Mike” on Wednesday that he didn’t consider putting Manziel in Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons after starter Brian Hoyer threw three interceptions, but it had nothing to do with the alleged altercation.

“I’ve had a talk with Johnny as has (general manager) Ray (Farmer),” Pettine said. “I mean, he was very upfront with us and notified us immediately what had occurred. But as far as in the building, he’s been a true professional. He’s done everything that’s been asked of him. But obviously, this is something that’s unfortunate.”

—While Cleveland wide receiver Josh Gordon was serving his 10-game suspension after a failed drug test, he believes some members of the organization went out of their way to shun him.

Gordon originally was suspended for the entire season after a failed drug test during the summer, but the penalty was reduced after the NFL adopted new policies. He played for the first time Sunday in the Browns’ win over the Atlanta Falcons and had eight catches for 120 yards.

“The lowest point of all this I think was the disassociation from a lot of friends you thought were close or you thought you were kind of cool with really not checking on you anymore, (not) hitting you up anymore, (not) wanting to hang out,” Gordon told the NFL Network in an interview that will air Sunday. “It’s kind of like a disease. People, they want to see it, but they don’t really want to touch it.”

—Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch, who has been hampered by injuries and illness the past two weeks, will play against the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday, coach Pete Carroll said Wednesday.

Lynch’s problematic back gave him trouble in Kansas City in Week 11 and he was sick to his stomach last Sunday in Seattle’s 19-3 win over the Arizona Cardinals. But Carroll said he “had a really good week” of practice and will bring his tough running style Thursday as the Seahawks and 49ers renew one of the league’s most physical rivalries.

“The tempo really helped him get through and he came out of last week feeling pretty good,” Carroll said. “So he’s in good shape this week.”

—The mother of an NFL player’s 4-year-old daughter who is battling cancer wrote in a letter to the NFL that he has not paid child support for months and that she is unable to pay medical bills.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Devon Still responded Wednesday, saying the claims were false.

Still has made daughter Leah’s ordeal public and devoted his attention to raising awareness of pediatric cancer. Leah has been undergoing treatment for neuroblastoma since June.

“My daughter’s battle with cancer has been inspirational to many all over the world,” Still said in a statement. “When she gets older, I want her to be able to look back and read about her positive impact on the world, not about the private issues her parents were going through.”

—The Indianapolis Colts claimed outside linebacker Shaun Phillips off waivers Wednesday and waived outside linebacker Victor Butler.

Phillips, 33, was waived by the Tennessee Titans on Tuesday after recording two sacks and 12 tackles in 11 games.

Butler, a sixth-year player, had played in two games for the Colts since being signed Oct. 6.

—The Houston Texans placed quarterback Ryan Mallett on injured reserve Wednesday with a torn right pectoral muscle and signed free-agent quarterback Thad Lewis.

With Mallett out, Ryan Fitzpatrick will be the starter on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

Mallett took over after Fitzpatrick started the first nine games of the season. Fitzpatrick threw for 1,960 yards and 11 touchdowns with eight interceptions. Mallett went 1-1 as the starter.

—Detroit Lions center Dominic Raiola wasn’t expecting to be fined for his cut block during Sunday’s 34-9 loss to the New England Patriots, but the NFL on Wednesday fined him instead for unnecessary roughness.

According to the league, the fine resulted not from Raiola’s block on Patriots defensive lineman Zach Moore earlier in the final drive but when Raiola attempted to club Moore from behind.

—The Minnesota Vikings signed offensive tackle J’Marcus Webb and placed offensive tackle Phil Loadholt on season-ending injured reserve on Wednesday.

Loadholt tore a pectoral muscle in the Vikings’ 24-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. He is scheduled to undergo surgery on Friday.