FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Running back Bijan Robinson is having a remarkable 2025 season despite the Atlanta Falcons doing the opposite.
Robinson leads the NFL with an average of 132.4 scrimmage yards per game. His 1,589 total yards from scrimmage rank second only to San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, who has played in one more game and is on a bye in Week 14. Robinson's 995 yards rushing rank fifth across the league, and his 594 yards receiving are second among his position group.
And yet, despite their third-year running back's individual success, the Falcons hold a 4-8 record and sit third in the NFC South. According to the New York Times’ playoff simulator, Atlanta currently has less than a 1% chance of making the postseason field. That's with one of the best players to grace the field in 2025.
For comparison's sake, since McCaffrey's numbers all fall near those of Robinson, the 49ers are 9-4, third in the NFC West and boast a 91% chance of making the playoffs. The 49ers' team success has naturally created a bigger national spotlight for McCaffrey's on-field excellence this season.
What Robinson is doing with the struggling Falcons, though, deserves to be recognized as well. In fact, it should receive a standing ovation rather than run-of-the-mill applause. Because, if anything, it's surely more difficult to accomplish what he has with a team that cannot seem to find much consistency on offense. Defenses know the Falcons are going to lean on Robinson and still can't slow him down.
The last two running backs to finish a season with the highest yards-from-scrimmage average were McCaffrey in 2023, when the 49ers lost the Super Bowl, and Saquon Barkley in 2024, when the Philadelphia Eagles won the championship. Robinson could end 2025 atop that leaderboard despite the Falcons not reaching the playoffs. Running back Josh Jacobs was the last player to lead in this regard while on a losing team. The Las Vegas Raiders finished the 2022 season 6-11 and third in the AFC West when Jacobs had his chart-topping run.
Of the five players with the most yards from scrimmage this season — all running backs — Robinson is the only one who plays for a team with a losing record. McCaffrey's 49ers have already been addressed. Jonathan Taylor's Indianapolis Colts and James Cooks' Buffalo Bills are 8-4; Jahmyr Gibbs' Detroit Lions are 7-5.
This should come as no surprise, but even among fellow strugglers, Robinson is the best. He has gained at least 80 scrimmage yards in seven losses this year, more than any other player. The next closest is running back De'Von Achene, who reached that mark in five games and whose Miami Dolphins are 5-7.
Want to get really specific? Over the last 15 seasons, there have only been two instances of a player having at least 140 rushing yards, 50 receiving yards and five catches in a loss. Robinson did exactly that last Sunday in the Falcons’ loss to the New York Jets.
Basically, Robinson is still doing the dang thing even when the Falcons are not.
Atlanta should be grateful to have Robinson. Everybody should appreciate what he is doing.
