Robert Griffin III: I won't wear brace

— -- Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III hinted at it -- and it was widely expected to be the case.

But Griffin threw away any doubt Monday about the knee brace he had to wear all of last season.

Griffin tore multiple ligaments in his right knee during a playoff loss to Seattle in January 2013. He wore a brace on the knee throughout last season, but it was widely believed Griffin would need it for only one year.

But just in case there was any doubt, Griffin addressed the issue Monday night at the 36th Ed Block Courage Awards dinner.

"It's safe to say I won't be wearing the brace [in 2014]," Griffin said, according to CSN Washington.

Griffin was not as explosive in 2013, whether it was due to the knee or the brace itself. He mentioned a couple of times last season that the brace would be one-and-done, just as it was in college after he tore his ACL.

In response to a question from CSN Washington, Griffin said he took off the brace a year after his 2008 surgery at Baylor. But he also said he will discuss whether he'll play without the brace with team doctors.

Griffin's second season did not go as well as his first, in part because he spent his offseason rehabilitating the knee and did not appear in a game until the regular-season opener. He was benched for the final three games by coach Mike Shanahan, who said it was because he wanted to make sure Griffin was healthy in the offseason.

He finished with 16 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions and 489 rushing yards as the Redskins finished 3-13. As a rookie, he had 20 touchdown passes and only five interceptions and rushed for 815 yards in leading Washington to the NFC East title.

Griffin already has had a strong start to the offseason, throwing to some of his receivers away from Redskins Park. He'll work out in Arizona later this month with a number of skill position players from the Redskins, including receiver Pierre Garcon and running back Alfred Morris.

And Griffin will spend two weeks working out with Terry Shea, the quarterbacks coach who worked with him before the 2012 draft.

Griffin said receiving the Ed Block Award for the Redskins meant a great deal.

"It was a tough year," Griffin said. "We didn't win a lot of games, [so] it's truly a testament to my teammates to show me that they still have faith in me, to show me that they appreciate what I had to go through last year coming back from the injury and all the turmoil during the season. That's special to me."