The Sports Xchange

Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III turned to his faith in commenting for the first time since losing his starting job to Kirk Cousins.

Griffin, who was benched to a backup role Monday, wrote on Twitter Wednesday morning: “Though we all face obstacles in life, I encourage you to lean on God throughout & remember his promise Jeremiah 29:11.”

Griffin often refers to his faith on Twitter.

After a neurologist reversed course and failed to clear him for last Saturday night’s preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens, Griffin tweeted: “Trusting in God even when I don’t understand why certain things happen. James 1:2-3 (NLT).”

On Monday, coach Jay Gruden announced that Cousins won the job as the Redskins’ starter.

“We feel like at this time Kirk Cousins gives us the best chance to win,” Gruden said after unseating Griffin, the 2012 Offensive Rookie of the Year who has struggled since tearing his right ACL and MCL in a January 2013 playoff loss to Seattle. “It’s Kirk’s team.”

Griffin was scheduled to start last Saturday in Baltimore, but he was scratched the previous day in the wake of a concussion suffered on Aug. 20 against the Detroit Lions. Griffin participated in non-contact drills on Monday but won’t play Thursday in the preseason finale against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Cousins is expected to sit out that night, with Colt McCoy playing the entire game.