The Atlanta Falcons kicked off August 4th with a bang, announcing they’ve agreed to a new three-year contract with star running back Bijan Robinson. See, nothing to worry about.
It’s a deal that will make Robinson the highest-paid running back in football, with an annual average of $25 million, a total potential value of $75 million, and $51 million in guaranteed money. We’ll need to see the structure to better understand how the Falcons have sought to make it team-friendly and whether the bulk of that money comes up front or later in the deal, but the 24-year-old Robinson will now be locked up until his late 20s regardless.
As Aaron Freeman wrote over the weekend, this was a deal the Falcons had to get done. After wandering the desert for a bit, the running back position has been more appropriately valued again in recent years, and Bijan is simply one of the best two or three runners on the planet. He led the league in scrimmage yards a year ago, is an incredibly effective receiver and a useful blocker, and has an otherworldly ability as a runner to see open spaces and change direction in a way that makes some of the most athletic and talented defenders in the world look like you or I playing backyard football after a few beers and burgers.
There are never guarantees with runners, but this deal won’t even take Bijan to his age 30 season and he’s been obsessive about taking care of his health, so he’s as good a bet as any back in the league to live up to the contract. If he produces at or exceeds the level he played at last year over the life of the contract, there won’t be a single soul complaining.
For his career, Bijan has 805 carries for 3,910 rushing yards (4.9 yards per carry) and 25 rushing touchdowns to go with 198 receptions for 1,738 yards and nine receiving touchdowns. If he keeps up his pace, Bijan will someday top the Falcons franchise rushing ranks in almost every category, but for now I’m just eager to see him do it again in 2026.
Robinson had been holding in at Falcons training camp, showing up and supporting teammates but not actively practicing while he awaited the deal. With the brief contract-related drama—which was not all that dramatic, really—over and done with, I’d expect to see him hit the practice field either today or tomorrow.
Congratulations to Bijan and the team for getting a deal done, and let’s hope he’s the key piece for an offense that dominates the league this year.
