When the Atlanta Falcons dominated the New Orleans Saints in Week 4, running back Brian Robinson Jr. emerged as one of the team's top contributors.
Since joining the Falcons as a free agent this offseason, Robinson has quickly made his mark, racking up four touchdowns and more than 190 rushing yards. He has also become a key part of the backfield alongside Bijan Robinson, the 2025 First-team All-Pro.
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That production is a far cry from where Brian Robinson Jr. was four years ago.
Before he had even played a snap in his rookie season, his NFL career was nearly derailed by a traumatic off-field incident. Robinson was shot twice just before the start of his rookie season, forcing him to fight his way back onto the field.
Brian Robinson Jr. Opens Up About 2022 Shooting
Robinson showed remarkable resilience after the traumatic incident on Aug. 28, 2022. During an attempted carjacking and robbery in Washington, D.C., he was shot twice, once in his right leg just above the knee and once in his hip.
The former Alabama player underwent surgery shortly afterward and was expected to miss a significant portion of his rookie season.
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"To be honest with you, nobody wants to get shot, especially an inch away from your artery and your knee," Robinson said on the "Speakeasy" podcast hours after Monday night's game.
Luckily, Robinson recovered quickly enough to make his NFL debut just six weeks later. But getting back on the field was only part of the battle. He revealed that it took much longer to fully regain his footing and feel like himself again.
"I made it look like I was okay and stuff like that, but it took me two years to get my traction all the way back together," Robinson said.
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"I pushed through a lot, mentally and emotionally, you know, just to keep doing my thing, stay on the field, and not get crossed out of this, man, after going through something like that. So that was the biggest thing for me."
Despite everything he went through, Robinson got off to a solid start to his career with the Washington Commanders.
He made his debut in Week 5 against the Tennessee Titans, rushing nine times for 22 yards. The following week, he scored his first career touchdown, a fourth-quarter game-winner that helped Washington secure a victory over the Chicago Bears.
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After spending three seasons with the Commanders, Robinson was traded to the San Francisco 49ers in 2025 before joining the Falcons this offseason, where he has cemented his spot on Kevin Stefanski's roster.
Robinson currently ranks #17 in the league with a PFN RB Impact Score
of 75.6.
In the Falcons' Monday night road matchup against the Saints, Robinson recorded 14 carries for 62 yards and three rushing touchdowns.
Next up, Atlanta will host the Baltimore Ravens at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 11.
This article originally appeared on
Pro Football Network
.
