Robert Griffin III left ESPN's College Football Playoff semifinals broadcast because his wife was in labor, but it turned out to be a false alarm
- Robert Griffin III was covering the Michigan vs. TCU game for ESPN on Saturday.
- He left in the middle of the game when his wife, Grete Griffin, called to tell him she was in labor.
ESPN's coverage of the College Football Playoff got disrupted by a false labor Saturday.
On New Year's Eve, University of Michigan faced Texas Christian University in the semi-finals of the College Football Playoff.
TCU ended up winning, and ESPN aired the game, providing analysis on the "Field Pass with The Pat McAfee Show."
Robert Griffin III, 32, was among the game analysts on the show — until he got a call from his wife, Grete Griffin, 29, that she was in labor.
The former NFL player and Heisman trophy winner got Grete's call, and immediately told his co-hosts he needed to leave, baffling them until he explained that she was in labor.
ESPN's cameras caught the exchange, following Griffin as he ran out of the Glendale, Arizona, stadium, and he later shared it in an Instagram post.
He flew four hours to Florida to get to his wife, but despite the fanfare, Grete took to Instagram on Sunday to announce she hadn't actually given birth on Saturday night. She shared a photo of the couple celebrating the new year, applauding her husband's dedication to his family.
"First off let's start by saying that even though baby girl tried to make a dramatic entrance last night into 2023, she decided it wasn't time yet," Grete captioned her post. "Secondly, let's talk about my husband @rgiii 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?"
"All I had to say was the word 'labor' and 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 went. "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!!!"
The couple tied the knot in March 2018, after welcoming their first daughter together, Gloria, 5, in July 2017.
He already had Reese Ann, 7, with Rebecca Liddicoat, as People reported. He and Griffin later welcomed Gameya, 3, and they are expecting another daughter.
TCU will face the University of Georgia in the College Football Championship game on January 9.