FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The 2025 season was one of firsts for Bijan Robinson.
He was named an All-Pro, led the league in scrimmage yards with 2,298, setting a franchise record in the process, and had the NFL's longest touchdown run at 93 yards — another franchise record.
Entering the 2026 season, he'll experience another first: A new backfield running mate.
When Robinson entered the league as the No. 8 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Tyler Allgeier was coming off a record-setting season of his own. He broke the franchise's record for most rushing yards by a rookie with 1,035 yards during the 2022 season, establishing himself as a formidable player in his own right before Robinson entered the fold.
Together, Robinson and Allgeier formed one of the best backfield tandems in the league, with the former running around defenses and the latter running through them. Robinson, whose fifth-year option the Falcons recently picked up, took over the workhorse role for Atlanta in 2024 and cemented it this past season. Allgeier signed with the Arizona Cardinals as a free agent this offseason after his rookie contract expired.
Now, Robinson gets a new partner in his position group. Brian Robinson Jr. signed with the Falcons in late March after spending the 2025 season in San Francisco backing up Christian McCaffrey, another of the league's superstar running backs. Bijan and McCaffrey spent time this offseason training together, and he took the time to learn a bit about the Falcons' newest Robinson.
"Christian appreciated him as a teammate and as a man," Bijan Robinson said. "So that's pretty much what he said to me: You'll enjoy him as a teammate. So, I'm really excited about it."
The off-field chemistry between the two Robinsons will be important, but the on-field chemistry will be essential.
Bijan is one of the most elusive runners in the NFL and has forced more missed tackles than any other player since entering the league in 2023. Brian is a 6-foot-1, 225-pound downhill runner who has the sixth-highest rate of carries inside the tackles in that same span.
"I'm not one to truck you all the time," Bijan said. "I'm trying to not get tackled; I'm trying to run away from you. He brings, kind of similar to Tyler, when they're in the game, they just bring a presence. When they have the ball in their hands, you better be ready. You better be ready to break down and tackle because, if not, they'll run through you. They'll find a quarter, they'll run through your face."
Versatility is a key part of Bijan's game. No running back has run more routes or gained more receiving yards than his 1,738 since he entered the league. That duality will allow Falcons offensive coordinator Tommy Rees to use Bijan in a variety of ways and keep him on the field. But, in the moments when he's split out wide, Atlanta will need to keep defenses honest against the run.
That was the true benefit of having a player as capable as Allgeier, and it's why the Falcons sought Brian, a former third-round draft pick with more than 2,700 rushing yards in four years.
"I'm more of a physical-style player," Brian said. "I might not be as fast in certain areas, but I can move pretty good for my size, and I like to punish people. I'm not really sure how much physicality Bijan likes to include in his game, but I'm extremely physical with my game."
Balance is often a core principle in every NFL offense, and a multi-faceted backfield approach helps teams achieve it. The blend of Robinson and Allgeier worked very well for Atlanta while it existed. Now, the Falcons expect the blend of Bijan and Brian to do the same.
"A really talented football player who I think matches exceptionally with what we want to do with him and Bijan," Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski said. "The skill set and how they marry each other, how they complement each other. We want to have an attack that's not just a one-person attack. You have to be balanced in this league. I think Brian gives us an opportunity to do that."
