ESPN reporter learned his wife was in labor during a live football game — what he did next showed the kind of dad he'll be
Most dads want to actively be present to welcome their baby into the world and often fear missing out on the moment. ESPN reporter Robert Griffin III, like other dads, also wanted to make sure he was there for his wife, Grete Griffin, when she delivered their baby, Business Insider revealed. Unfortunately, when he received the call that his wife was in labor, he was on air, doing his job at the College Football Playoffs. The semifinals between the University of Michigan and Texas Christian University on New Year’s Eve 2023 were crazy, and the former NFL player had no idea it was about to get crazier. His response to it all became the spotlight of the scenario.
The cameras were all on him and his co-hosts as they analyzed the game. The men were caught off guard to see Robert answer his phone and get completely disconnected from the live reporting. “What are you doing, man?” one of them asked. It surely seemed unprofessional and confusing until Robert’s serious face turned into a mix of excitement and joy as he broke the news. “I gotta go, man,” he told his co-hosts before revealing that his wife was in labor. Being live on air, putting his job at stake, the reporter clearly knew what his priorities were. As soon as he received the call, he immediately sprang up to break the news.
His co-hosts immediately congratulated him and off he went, sprinting from the stadium to reach his wife. In a post on Instagram, the reporter shared a clip of the situation along with his tweet, “Wife is in labor!” There was no two ways about what he had to do and he got down to business. Grete explained how things unfolded after the whole schbang in a post. “I gave him a call in the middle of him being on live TV fully expecting to not get a hold of him but I guess when your wife is 9 months pregnant and calls you, you answer the phone no matter what you’re doing huh?” she proudly wrote. She continued to explain that she only said the word “labor” and it immediately struck Robert of what he had to do next.
“This man STOPPED CALLING A BOWL GAME and took off sprinting to the car to get to the airport and get on a 4-hour flight to make it home,” she remarked. The woman appreciated him for his concern and for going above and beyond to ensure he was present as a father right from day 1. “I love you more than life, baby and I am so beyond grateful for how you love me, care for me, and what you sacrifice for me. My HERO!” she wrote. With that being said, the call turned out to be a false alarm. “Even though baby girl tried to make a dramatic entrance last night into 2023, she decided it wasn’t time yet,” Grete confirmed.
In another post, a few days later, Robert and Grete welcomed their baby girl, Gia, healthy and happy. There is not a single question of the kind of dad Robert is going to be and it only deserves applause. @robertgrafelman said, “He ran that faster than any scramble he did in the NFL.” @hjcoleman added, “What an amazing moment!” @lyniewoodard added, “I love how they treated labor like a touchdown.”
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