FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — For all of the offseason discussions about what the presence of Michael Penix Jr. would mean for the Atlanta Falcons' offense, the first two games of the 2025 season have made one thing clear: Bijan Robinson is still the focal point.
With two games yet to play in Week 2, Atlanta's third-year back has 292 scrimmage yards, which are second-most in the league behind Colts running back Jonathan Taylor's 313 yards. After gaining just 24 yards on the ground in Week 1, Robinson had 145 yards rushing against the Minnesota Vikings in the Falcons’ 22-6 win on "Sunday Night Football."
"He is who everybody says he is," Penix Jr. said. "I feel like he's the best running back in this league, and he shows it each and every day."
As a player, Robinson embodies the versatility Atlanta's offense seeks. In response to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers controlling the line of scrimmage in the season opener, the Falcons effectively deployed Robinson as a receiver to the tune of 100 yards, including a 50-yard score on the third play of the game.
The NFL is filled with players who contain at least some versatility, it's a core aspect of the modern game. What separates Robinson, though, is how truly special he is in a variety of things asked of him.
Prior to the Monday night games in Week 2, Robinson sits fifth among running backs in rushing yards (167) and is tied with Christian McCaffrey for the most receiving yards at the position with 125. He is the only player in the top five of both categories.
"He shows it each and every day," Penix Jr. said. "The way he practices; the mentality that he has. You can tell he loves this game, he loves his players, he loves his team … it means a lot to have somebody like him."
At his current pace, Robinson is set to challenge the very best marks in NFL history. According to Pro Football Reference, he is on pace to finish with 1,420 rushing yards and 1,063 passing yards. That total of 2,483 yards from scrimmage would vault Robinson past Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk and into the No. 2 spot on the all-time list. Chris Johnson currently holds the NFL record for most yards from scrimmage in a single season with 2,509, which he set in 2009 with the Tennessee Titans.
That Robinson has produced these numbers against the Buccaneers and the Vikings should not be discredited. Tampa Bay allowed the fourth-fewest rushing yards per game during the 2024 season, while the Vikings allowed the second-fewest.
Not all of the credit belongs to Robinson. Atlanta's offensive line rebounded from an underwhelming debut and imposed its will on a good Vikings defensive front. They were so good, in fact, that the unit received a game ball after the win.
"Those guys are grown men," Morris said. "They've got a lot of heart, they've got a lot of character and they wanted to come out here and play well.
Robinson's backfield mate Tyler Allgeier is an important piece of the puzzle as well; he finished with 76 yards on 16 carries and sealed the win with a fourth-quarter touchdown.
However, Robinson continues to transcend the infrastructure around him in electrifying ways, taking the foundation of a great run game and elevating it to new heights.
The Vikings were one of the best tackling defenses in the league last season and allowed just 47 yards per game because of missed tackles, according to TruMedia. That defensive dependability showed up again for Minnesota in Week 1, as the Vikings allowed just 11 yards after missed tackles, tying the Falcons for the second-fewest on opening weekend.
That set up a compelling matchup against Robinson, who entered the 2025 season with 199 career missed tackles — the most of any player in the league since 2023, according to Next Gen Stats.
Robinson's style of play won out against Minnesota's sure-handed tackling, and he strung moves along as easily as the defenders trying to contain them. Per Next Gen Stats, he forced nine missed tackles and gained an additional 50 yards for his efforts. He picked up 42 more rushing yards on Sunday night than a typical running back would have been expected to gain in the same situations.
"That's a very good team that we just played against," Robinson said. "The Vikings are always really good. So, for us to come here and get a win, especially their first home game with all the all the energy and everything, that just says a lot about this team. And I'm very excited for what we can do next week."
With each progressive season, Robinson has found ways to elevate his game and Atlanta's offense alongside it. After working to improve his explosive playmaking this summer, Robinson leads all NFL running backs in plays of 10-plus and 20-plus yards through Sunday night.
In Week 1, he scored a 50-yard touchdown— longer than any play he had last year.
The season is long, and two games does not guarantee Robinson's pace will last, but Atlanta has proven time and again that he is the core of their offensive engine. In that role, Robinson has a shot to chase down the all-time greats.
"That's part of the plan every single week," Morris said of getting him involved. "Bijan is a dynamic football player, he's unbelievable."
