October 28, 2022
Resiliency
Why do we watch sports? There are countless different reasons as to why people watch sports, and not one is better than the other. One of my favorite reasons why I watch sports revolves around stories of resiliency. There is nothing better than a comeback story. The Washington Commanders 3rd round rookie running back Brian Robinson should receive the award for resiliency. I’m unofficially nominating him for the Comeback Player of the Year Award, even though rookies are unable to receive the award. In Brian’s case, they should make an exception. Why is Brian deserving of this award you ask…because he was shot multiple times on August 28th, mere weeks before the NFL season was underway. More on that in a minute.
Who Is Brian Robinson?
Now a little background. Robinson grew up in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and attended the University of Alabama as a four-star recruit. In recent history, Alabama has produced NFL running backs such as Derrick Henry, Kenyan Drake, Josh Jacobs, Damien Harris and Najee Harris. It’s no surprise that Brian Robinson was a great player at Bama where he played his part in leading them to multiple CFB National Championships. Due to being drafted in the 3rd round, the Washington Commanders had high expectations for him to have an immediate impact on the blocking and run game.
Unfortunately, Robinson was shot by two individuals during an attempted robbery shortly before the season began. He sustained two shots to his lower body–a worst case scenario for an individual that uses their lower body for their livelihood. Thankfully, Robinson made a miraculous recovery and re-joined his team just days after the shooting. Eager to be out on the field with his teammates, Robinson rehabbed with everything he had to get back into football shape. BR was not going to miss his rookie season because of this random event so he jumped through every hurdle there was in order to get back.
Brian not only needed to walk properly again, but he would need to run hard against some of the toughest and best warriors on the planet, a daunting task for even the healthiest of players. Brian has dedicated his entire life to playing in the NFL and his warrior mentality got him back to his team and ready to perform.
The Starter Already?
Only forty-two days after the shooting, Robinson returned to the active roster for the Commanders. If you want to get fired up, go check out the video of Robinson coming out of the tunnel. He runs out to “Many Men” by 50 Cent. What a fitting song choice! BR ran through the smoke to meet his teammates at mid field and you can tell how much that moment meant to him. He was fired up and so were the fans. We’ve watched the clip twenty times here at ASE and still get chills. In his first NFL game, former starter Antonio Gibson’s load diminished and it was Robinson who received the bulk of the carries. The following game he scored his first NFL touchdown. That ball is going in the trophy case, I promise you that.
These are the stories that I search for in sports. These are the moments that matter. The moments that show us how resilient a human being can be. I really do believe that sports bring the best out in people. I hope we get the best out of Robinson for many years to come. Regardless of what happens throughout the rest of his career, I think he deserves to be recognized. Athletes should be inspired by his story. I know I am.
Comments