Doug Williams knows Gruden family football. He said he sees the family fire as the best tonic for Robert Griffin III heading into the quarterback's third professional season.

"The best thing that has happened to Robert Griffin has been the hiring of Jay Gruden," Williams told Larry Michael on "Redskins Nation."

"Everywhere Jay Gruden has been, he's been a winner."

Williams worked with a scout named Jim Gruden when on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He got to know Jim's sons and watched Jay Gruden launch passes at George D. Chamberlain High School before he left Tampa for the first time.

According to Williams, the Jay Gruden is not a Jon Gruden clone, but the brothers share a common approach to coaching.

"They're two different guys, but they have the same mindset when it comes to the passion of football," Williams said.

"Robert will gravitate to Jay so well."

Williams sees the head coach and the quarterback developing a rapport built on mutual understanding. He said he is confident Griffin III's game will improve under Gruden's tutelage and loves the young signal-caller's leadership.

"It's unfair, some of the criticism he's gotten," Williams said.

"He is a good human being and he is a people person. And I think in order to be a leader, No. 1, you've got to like people and people have got to like you, and they've got to believe in you."

Williams said Griffin III received "too much bad credit" for the team's performance last season. While it's up to Gruden to coach up his quarterback, Williams said the front office accepts the onus of building a talented roster to support the team's leader.

"It's a team effort. It ain't just Robert Griffin," Williams said. "We all gotta make sure we got pieces in place to try to fit this puzzle." 

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