Robert Griffin III, former NFL quarterback and ESPN analyst, found himself at the center of a viral internet moment over the summer when his wife, Grete Griffin, shared a photo of him eating a giant croissant during their trip to the Paris Summer Olympics. The photo, which zoomed in progressively on Griffin’s exaggerated expression as he bit into the oversized pastry, quickly became meme fodder and led to widespread trolling.
Appearing on the Pardon My Take podcast on Friday, Griffin opened up about the story behind the now-infamous croissant photo and how his wife “did it on purpose” to set the internet ablaze.
The Croissant Adventure in Paris
The story began during the couple’s visit to Paris, where Griffin and Grete discovered the city’s famed giant croissants. Griffin was immediately intrigued.
“We’re at the Olympics, and we find out they had these giant croissants,” he said. “So I’m like, ‘Hey, we gotta go get one of these things.’”
What started as a simple food adventure turned into a collaboration with TikTok. “TikTok actually worked with us to get the giant croissants and take content with them at their headquarters in France,” Griffin shared. “So that was an incredible experience for me and my wife.”
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The Viral Photo Setup
The trouble started when Griffin decided they should document the croissant moment. Back home with the massive pastry, the couple set up to take photos. According to Griffin, the original plan was for both of them to be eating the croissant in the shot. However, Grete had other ideas.
“You guys know how it is—your wife or your lady friend sometimes throws you under the bus a little bit,” Griffin said, laughing. “I’m not blaming my wife, but what I’m saying is, we were both supposed to be eating it. Instead, she had me eating it alone and then posted it on Instagram with a zoom-in of my face.”
Grete’s post included three frames: the first was a wide shot, the second was a closer crop, and the third was an extreme zoom of Griffin’s face mid-bite. The humorous framing set off a social media frenzy.
Handling the Backlash
Griffin admitted the aftermath was overwhelming.
“When I posted it on Twitter, I got all the zoomed-in pictures from Instagram, and within 10 minutes, I knew—it’s gonna be a long day,” he recalled.
The hosts of Pardon My Take joked that the photo’s suggestive positioning didn’t help. Griffin defended himself, explaining, “The croissant was so big, I had no choice but to have my hand underneath it. The thing was super heavy!”
Despite the relentless jokes, Griffin maintained a sense of humor about the situation.
“You have to be able to laugh at yourself,” he said. “When you see that picture, you get why people are cracking up. Even Josh Hart from the Knicks commented, ‘Jesus himself couldn’t get me to post this picture.’ But guess what? He’s engaging with it because it’s funny.”
Griffin’s caption for the post further fueled the humor: “Enjoying a croissant with my wife. The internet will always internet.”
Standing By the Photo
While some fans suggested he delete the image, Griffin stood his ground.
“People were like, ‘Take it down,’ but I wasn’t going to,” he explained. “The internet is going to do what it’s going to do. I’m not responsible for them turning it into something else. It’s a croissant—I’m eating it. Am I not allowed to eat pastries now?”
Griffin said he saw the humor in the situation and chose to embrace it.
“You just laugh it off and move on,” he said.
A Lesson in Viral Fame
At the time, Griffin leaned into the jokes, responding to the viral moment with posts like, “Can’t even eat a croissant with your wife anymore on this app,” alongside crying-laughing emojis. In another post, he shared a photo of himself and Grete holding the croissant together, writing, “Not gonna lie… y’all got us in stitches over here with these replies and quotes.”
Ultimately, Griffin took the viral moment in stride, turning what could have been a frustrating experience into a relatable and entertaining anecdote.
His ability to laugh at himself and connect with fans over the mishap made the incident a lighthearted highlight of the summer.
