Scoring your first NFL touchdown is always special. But for Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr., the milestone will be extra memorable. On October 13, the 23-year-old rookie ran for the winning score against the Chicago Bears—less than two months after being shot in an attempted robbery.
In post-game interviews, Robinson credited his mother and teammates for their encouragement and thanked God for having a plan for his life. Although the athlete admits “it was tough” hearing the same positive messages so often, he says they made a difference in his recovery process.
“I truly believe God’s got a bigger purpose for me,” says Robinson. “And I’ve just gotta live through him every day.”
Brian Robinson Jr. Survived Robbery Attempt
While out with friends in D.C. on the evening of August 28, Brian Robinson Jr. was the victim of an attempted robbery and carjacking. During the encounter with two teenage assailants, the athlete was shot twice in the leg. Facing surgery and an uncertain future was “probably the lowest point I’ve ever been in my life,” admits Robinson.
“My passion for this game runs so deep,” he adds. “I never thought I’d be in a situation where I had to question or be questioned about if I could return to playing football.”
Just two days after being shot, Robinson was back in the team’s facility. And by September 14, he had returned to practice. “It was tough,” he admits. “I just had to keep my head high and focus on what I really want in my life. I want to be a football player, I wanted to get back on the football field. So I did everything I needed to do in my power, strength-wise, mentally-wise to get myself back on the field.”
Robinson, an Alabama native, won two national championships with the University of Alabama Crimson Tide, rushing for more than 1,400 yards during the 2021 season. This spring, the Commanders selected Robinson in the third round of the NFL draft.
Running Back Thanks God for ‘Another Opportunity’
Speaking to reporters after his game-winning TD against the Bears, Brian Robinson Jr. described being on “cloud nine” and expressed gratitude to God, his teammates, and his family. I’m “thankful God gave me another opportunity to come back out here and do it all over again,” the running back told Scott Van Pelt on ESPN’s “Sports Center.”
