It didn't take Bijan Robinson long to make an impact in the NFL. Tallying just under 1000 yards in his rookie season, Robinson has temporarily silenced the critics who believed the Falcons should not have used a top 10 pick on a running back. With his electrifying speed, bruising power, and head-turning elusiveness, Robinson has already established himself as a must-see talent in the league. While the Falcons had a disappointing season as a team, Bijan was a bright spot for the organization.
"There was so many highs, a lot of lows, & a lot of adversity that I had to overcome as a player and just as a team," Robinson tells Complex. "It was a great rookie season, but I think the the most important thing was just me learning the game of football and me learning the NFL."
Bijan is now making an immediate impact off the field in his first offseason as a pro. He teamed up with Courtyard by Marriott to surprise the winners of The Ultimate Upgrade contest, by unveiling the stadium suite transformed into a Courtyard guest room, where the winners will spend the night and wake up inside Allegiant Stadium the morning of Super Bowl LVIII.
We sat down with Bijan to talk about his rookie season, the Bill Belichick to Atlanta rumors, playing for a Black head coach, and this opportunity with Courtyard by Marriott.
(This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity)
First off, can you explain the partnership you have with Courtyard by Marriott? So with Courtyard by Marriott they're surprising two amazing, deserving fans for the ultimate experience here. I think it's gonna be such a cool thing for them because Courtyard by Marriott is big into giving back to so many deserving people and for me, I'm the same way and love just making people happy and smile.
I feel that what they're doing with them is such a blessing to get to be a part of that and just to partner with such an amazing brand. It was awesome, man.
So you're inside the stadium right now? Talk about the experience the two fans are about to have. They're sleeping in the stadium before the game?
I'm inside the stadium right now. I'm looking outside the stadium right now. It's insane. They're about to sleep literally at the field which is pretty insane. They're gonna sleep here the night before the game and they're gonna just experience everything for a couple of days here. When they wake up in the morning, they will see the stadium and then they're gonna get some really nice seats from Courtyard by Marriott for the game. So it's gonna be the ultimate experience for them.
I wanna show you something.
OK, what you got?
I know Complex big into shoes. I'm big into shoes too. So, you know we surprised the two fans Jametta and her son Chance with some shoes. Courtyard by Marriott got a guy to customize some really cool shoes. I had to add that in there but go ahead.
Nah, that's dope! For you personally, how would evaluate your rookie season after making an immediate impact on the league?
I feel that it was just the ultimate blessing man and I know that God just had the right plan for me, the whole time. And obviously, it was a huge learning experience. You know, there was so many highs, a lot of lows, & a lot of adversity that I had to overcome as a player and just as a team. I think that it was all in the right timing, for me to be patient and understand that it's all gonna come. It was a great rookie season, but I think the the most important thing was just me learning the game of football and me learning the NFL.
I just knew that everything happened for a reason and even just us getting Raheem Morris, getting the new coaching staff, like everything that happened this past season was all for this moment right here.
We'll touch on the coaching staff, where do you see yourself right now amongst the best running backs? Do you see yourself as the best? Do you see yourself as a top five, top 10 guy?
I just know that I can always improve and always try to be the best that I can be. Obviously there's so many great running backs but I'm trying to chase the Christian McCaffrey's. I'm trying to chase those guys because they just do it all the right way and they do it in a way that entertaining to watch and explosive.
So I'm trying to be right there at that level. But I just know that just me putting in the work and trusting in God that I'll be at that level.
So my follow up to that is in your opinion, who are the top five backs excluding yourself?
I would say obviously Christian (McCaffrey). I'll say Breece Hall. I like Kyren Williams this year, I'll put him up there. And just even how Zac Robinson used him and then I'll put Jahmyr (Gibbs), that's my dog. I'll put him in there and then you said not myself, so I'll probably say Derrick Henry.
I asked that because I recently talked to Saquon and he's a big advocate for the value of a running back. A lot of people think running backs shouldn't get paid because they're easily replaceable. You can draft one in the sixth round, fifth round as a replacement so what are your thoughts on the value of running back today?
I just even think just off this past season, you have to have a strong run game to be successful. You want a running back that can take over games. You want a running back that you can rely on to be the guy for the offense. When it comes down to it's whatever scheme you're in. I feel like a lot of running backs aren't replaceable and if you find the right dude, then you go with him for a very long time.
Even like Pacheco, for example, he was drafted where he was drafted but you put him in that scheme and he thrives and you can't really find somebody to replace him. So I think the running back position especially this year has really gone up in value just off of receiving. Without it, you become very predictable. But with it, you become a dominant offense.
Now switching to your new coach, Raheem Morris, how excited are you to play for him? Have you talked to him? What's the message you heard from him?
I'm extremely excited. We talked 15 minutes after he got hired on FaceTime. Just the energy that he that he brought made me ready to go immediately. He's an amazing guy. He's an awesome coach. He brings guys together on a team and that's what I feel that we need most. It's just us to come together and just have fun doing it and just wanna play for each other.
I wanna play for the coaches, I wanna play for the program and I know that he's gonna bring that to the max.
As Black men, we are aware of how Black coaches have been treated over the years in terms of the hiring process. Does it feel even better knowing you'll be playing for a Black head coach?
No doubt about it and especially him being the first one in Atlanta Falcons history, which is pretty awesome man. I feel he's the right guy to start that tradition and I feel he'll behind this coaching spot for a very long time with the Falcons. He's gonna do some things to change the city. Obviously, us as a team, we're gonna change the city, but it's gonna be him at the forefront and that's what the city wants, that's what the city needs. I just can't wait to really be a part of that with him.
But I do have to ask this because of all the whispers that went on, How did you feel about the possiblity of Bill Belichick being your head coach?
Yeah, obviously Bill Belichick is the greatest coach of all time. Like there's no doubt about it and I knew that if he was gonna be the coach, I would learn as much as I could from him. I feel like he's heavily respected by everybody obviously but you have a guy like Raheem who will really connect with his team in a way that we've never seen before.
And I feel that he can talk to anybody on this team and make them feel like they're supposed to be here. He's gonna max out all the effort that he can for us and obviously Bill can do the same thing but I just knew that having Raheem here was the ultimate plan for God's plan. So it's pretty cool.
Going away from football, Atlanta obviously is a poppin' city. Do you have any stories of your first year living in Atlanta? Anything off the field?
Yeah, just like meeting all these rappers and stuff in the city like Quavo. I met like Ludacris, T.I. like those guys, just the prominent people in the city. Then, I met rappers who I don't even know that are giant. It's pretty sick cause all the people there are so supportive. They love their football and just me being there like really set a bar for them to have that excitement. I know all the entertaining people that come out of Atlanta know what it is. They know the deal and we're already family like that. So it's definitely pretty cool to be a part of something like that.
Last question, who do you have on Sunday and why?
The Chiefs. I feel like they've obviously been here before. So when they get to these kind of games, they're locked in, they know how to control the game, control the atmosphere. I just think that they're just gonna be ready to go, mentally and physically. I don't think it's gonna be a shootout. I feel it's gonna be like a 27-23 type of game but I just feel like they're gonna come out with it and they're gonna be the ones to win another Super Bowl. I definitely got the Chiefs for this one.
