The most important question the Browns face as they begin the 2016 season Sunday on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles is whether Robert Griffin III can resurrect his career as a starting quarterback in the NFL.
No one knows for sure. Not Griffin, not coach Hue Jackson, not the rest of the league.
But Griffin feels at home in Believeland partly because he believes. He believes in himself, in his ability to lead a team to glory, and he always has, even during the darkest times.
Injuries, clashes with coaches, friction with teammates and a lack of development as a pocket passer led to him tumbling from the NFL's offensive rookie of the year who made the Pro Bowl and led Washington to the playoffs in 2012 to the third-string quarterback who didn't play a snap last season and filled in as a scout-team safety during practices.
He lost his status as a rising star. He lost his starting job. He lost his roster spot.
Yet he never lost his confidence.
"It's from my upbringing and my parents and my faith," Griffin said during a recent interview with the Beacon Journal.
Griffin's parents, Robert Jr. and Jacqueline, are retired Army sergeants, so it's fitting he's inspired by the 2014 movie Unbroken. The film, based on a book, is about late Olympian and World War II veteran Louis Zamperini enduring horrendous conditions in Japanese prisoner of war camps.
"In the movie, he's praying to God, and he says, 'God, if you get me through this, I'll serve you for the rest of my life,' " Griffin, 26, said. "I don't think being unbreakable or not losing your confidence has anything to do with who you are in that moment. It has more to do with what you believe in and how you were programmed or trained to respond to adversity."
Despite his dramatic fall in Washington, Griffin remained convinced he would receive another chance in the NFL if he continued to push himself, so he dedicated an hour after every practice last season to extra training. It all paid off when he worked out in March for Jackson at Browns headquarters. He wowed the coach on the field, and more important, convinced him he had changed as a pupil, teammate and leader.
"I've learned from my experiences on the field, off the field, everything and just how to handle that, time management and all these things that go into being an NFL quarterback and being a pro," Griffin said.
The Browns gave Griffin a two-year, $15 million contract on March 24, 17 days after Washington waived him. With Griffin aboard, the Browns traded down from No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft, passing on quarterback Carson Wentz, whom the Eagles picked there and will start against Griffin and Co. Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.
Now Griffin is the Browns' 25th starting quarterback since 1999, and at the very least, a placeholder for their quarterback of the future. Should he defy the odds and the doubts of outsiders by reviving his career, he could become the franchise's long-term solution at the game's most important position.
"He has had a tremendous preseason," Jackson said. "Now he needs to go do it in the regular season, and we will go from there."
What seems clear already is Griffin has won his new teammates over, as evidenced by them recently voting him a captain. Jackson noted an improvement in Griffin's leadership throughout the offseason and cited backup quarterback Josh McCown's mentoring as a contributing factor.
"As far as Robert, his leadership is tremendous," right guard John Greco said. "When he came in, even in the spring, I was like, 'This guy's got it.' "
Although Griffin attempts to deflect talk about his comeback attempt, everyone in the NFL is paying attention to it. The Browns are coming off a 3-13 season and in the midst of an aggressive youth movement. It will likely take them years to rebuild and return to relevance unless Griffin somehow manages to accelerate the process by taking the league by storm like he did four years ago. Either way, the organization needs to determine this year whether he's a stopgap or something more.
So even though Griffin hasn't played a real game since Dec. 28, 2014, the former No. 2 overall pick remains in the spotlight, and everything he does is liable to attract attention.
Last month, Griffin's personal life made headlines because he's going through a divorce. He declined to discuss the matter, other than saying it won't detract from his focus on football and he's told teammates as much.
"I don't want them to ever feel like anything like that is affecting me on the field, my ability to get us in the best situation to win football games," Griffin said.
The main problem, however, is he hasn't won much lately. He's 5-15 as a starter since he went 9-7, including 0-1 in the playoffs, as a rookie.
But wide receiver Josh Gordon hasn't caught Griffin doubting himself, and Gordon knows the former Heisman Trophy winner better than anyone else associated with the Browns. Their close friendship stems from their days as teammates at Baylor University.
"He was confident then, but he's even more confident, if that's even possible," Gordon said. "He knows his ability, he knows his playbook and when you got a guy like that, I think it's dangerous for a defense and an asset to us, because with a guy like that, you can do nothing but get behind him and help fight for him.
"What happened in Washington was up to those coaches. He was battling through injuries, trying to get back and just trying to get an opportunity to play. He's got that opportunity here now. I'm not really sure what happened in D.C., but I know he's grateful to be here in Cleveland."
Griffin is definitely thankful for a second shot. He's also not surprised it has arrived.
"I wouldn't be here if my confidence had to be rebuilt," he said.
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