Bijan Robinson may be the best running back in the NFL right now.
The 24-year-old is coming off of a year in which he set an Atlanta Falcons single-season record while also leading the NFL with 2,298 scrimmage yards. It was the 12th-highest single season total in NFL history and led to Robinson's First First-Team All-Pro selection.
Robinson got off to a hot start in Week 1 in the Falcons' 20-13 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, posting a game-leading 83 rushing yards along with 90 receiving yards.
While the Falcons fell to Pittsburgh, the rest of the NFC South also got off to rough starts with the division going winless in Week 1.
Robinson sat down for a one-on-one interview with Covers to detail what it'll take for the Falcons to bounce back in Week 2, the quarterback situation, his receiving ability, Texas’ big win over Ohio State and more.
Bijan Robinson on How the Falcons Can Rebound in Week 2
Q: You guys had kind of a rough start against the Steelers. Almost beat them and you had a great game. It’s a big game against the Panthers this week. What is the key to getting back on track and establishing supremacy in the division?
Robinson: “It's just one day at a time. Going back to practice on Wednesday, getting back to the drawing board, and building that physicality in practice, that confidence in practice. We understand that we were close last week, but close gets you beat. It's just getting back to the little details of the plays that we need to fix up on and execute at a high level this Sunday because this is a very important game for us.
“Not just because it's a division game, but it's because it's the next game. So for us, we have to take that into account and know that they're going to come in here at home and fired up, ready to go, and we need to have that same energy and that same mindset. I'm excited to get out there on Sunday for sure.”
Q: It's got to give you a little bit of optimism knowing that every team in the division lost in Week 1. It's a fresh start for everybody, including you guys.
Robinson: “It's great. Everybody wants to be 1-0. But for us, now we're playing our division and we need to maximize that opportunity, and we need to capitalize off of it. We know that this is a one week at a time process, and it's a one week at a time sprint for us too as well.
“We understand the stakes of this game, and we can't go in here playing slow like we did last week, like how we started last week. We need to go in there all four quarters, full speed, ready to go.”
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Cooper Rush: “we need to make sure that we have his back at the highest level”
Q: You guys are dealing with injuries right now at the quarterback position. Cooper Rush is a veteran quarterback. He stepped in for you guys. He might step in again this week with Michael Penix Jr and Tua Tagovailoa dealing with injuries. How do you overcome those absences?
Robinson: “Cooper is a guy who's been in this league for a long time. He's a veteran in the league, and people got to understand that was his first game in a long time as well. It had to slow down for him. But just knowing he has us and us building that confidence in him, especially this week is going to be key.
“I don't know the quarterback situation that we have (for Sunday), but I know whoever it is or if it's Coop again, we need to make sure that we have his back at the highest level and make sure that he can trust us in in all scenarios and situations to make him play his best game, and then help him trust for us to play our best game as well for him. It's gonna be fun, man, whoever it is.”
Q: Like you said, Cooper Rush might be the guy this week. But Michael Penix Jr and Tua Tagovailoa, those are the guys over there in Atlanta right now. They've been dealing with injuries. Penix is coming off of the serious injury. Have you been talking to them, keeping their spirits high?
Robinson: “Oh yeah, absolutely. Making sure that they're always good. Tua, what happened last week, I made sure that he was alright mentally. Mike's been working his butt off, man, to try to get back to his full health and be back to his normal self. But that's what leadership is. That's what this team is for, to make sure those guys are mentally well and mentally great on and off the field.
“Not just them but just the whole team in general. That's the kind of mind space that we want to be in because obviously it's a long season. But you want this long season to feel close with your teammates and to build that bond with your teammates to have the best result on the field.”
A Historic Contract and Robinson’s Surprising First Purchase
Q: I want to focus on you a little bit. Obviously, you signed the new contract in the offseason. Big-time deal, historic contract. What does that mean to you? And out of curiosity, what's the first thing you bought?
Robinson: “It's such a blessing, man. To know that God brought me here, man, and to show my journey is definitely a blessing for that. But for me, the first thing I bought was a cat.
“It's less than a foot, and she's 2.9 pounds. The girlfriend, we got a cat, and it's been freaking awesome. It's been awesome. I ain't gonna lie.”
Q: Are you a cat guy? Have you had cats before?
Robinson: “I have not. Not a cat guy. I've always had dogs, but I think just cats are easier to take care of, and it's definitely been a fun thing to get to experience.”
How Bijan Became One of the NFL’s Top Receiving Backs
Q: I want to ask you about this because you had a huge receiving season last year. You had a huge receiving game in Week 1. You weren't exactly that guy in college, and at the beginning of your NFL career. How did that develop?
Robinson: “I realized that they brought me here to be in that kind of role. Obviously running the football is the main priority, but then being an effective player in the pass game too. I've always conquered football my whole life. I played 7-on-7 flag my whole life. That's just something that God gifted me to do, and route-running and catching footballs, it's a natural thing that I love to do.
“They wanted to exploit it more here when I got to the NFL. That's what I've been doing, man. It's something that I appreciate, because you become a threat all over the field and become a guy that you have to watch for no matter where I line up and have an impact in that way. I want to continue to keep helping my team through that, and just continue to get better.”
Q: Are there certain statistical objectives that you have this season, and is there a certain running back that you looked up to while growing up?
Robinson: “To your first question, no. I just kind of just take it one game at a time, and just let the game play out. Whatever God's plan is for that game, that's what it is. And then yes, I looked up to Marshall Faulk. Obviously, he's the prototype who I look up to in running style and catching the football. And then Barry Sanders' highlights, they were on all the time for me.
“Obviously, I wasn't old enough to watch him play, but it's all over YouTube, just trying to see his running style, pick from his running style. It's been awesome, and then like LaDainian Tomlinson, he's the guy, and then Adrian Peterson. Those are the guys who I kind of look at and model my game after.
Robinson Reacts to Texas’ Comeback Win Over Ohio State
Q: Great choices. I'm gonna round out things with this question. Your alma mater had a huge win over Ohio State. Nobody expected that comeback win. Your thoughts on that win, and do you have any relationship with Arch Manning? Did you say anything to him and do you have a friendship with him?
Robinson: “Yeah, we do. I didn't say anything after the game, I had to go to sleep and get ready for my game. But it was awesome, man. I was riled up. I was texting my teammates who went to Ohio State. I was making sure that they understood that they lost because of all of that smack talk during the week.
“It was one of those things that it's a huge momentum shift for our team. Obviously, we have a long season, and they just need to understand every team is going to try to come and try to beat them. But we got to stay focused and take them one game at a time.”
Q: What are you doing with SONIC with this partnership?
Robinson: “It's a $7 Big Deal Meal with a partnership. It's been a great partnership, man. Obviously, the number seven and how it ties in together is super cool to me. But then with the meal, it's the cheeseburger, the sundae, the fries or the tots, and then you have your drink.
“It's one of those meals where it's a whole dinner for you or your family, and it's been something that's been really cool for me because I grew up eating SONIC, obviously. It just ties in perfectly. I hope everybody is a part of it and goes to SONIC and buys it and just enjoys it, man.”
