Bijan Robinson knows the time is now for the Atlanta Falcons to win.
The reigning First-Team All-Pro running back is coming off of his finest season, rushing for a career-high 1,478 yards in addition to 79 catches for 820 receiving yards. His 2,298 scrimmage yards marked the most in a single season in Falcons franchise history and it was the 12th-most in NFL history.
However, Robinson has never been a part of a winning team or a playoff club since entering the NFL in 2023. The Falcons have finished 8-9 in each of the past two seasons and they went 7-10 during the 2023 season.
Although the Falcons lost their Week 1 opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the rest of the NFC South also dropped their games. That means Atlanta is essentially starting from scratch in Week 2 when they play the reigning division champs, the Carolina Panthers.
When asked what the key is to winning the NFC South for the first time in his career, Robinson said it’s simply keeping it “one game” at a time.
“One game at a time,” said Robinson in a one-on-one interview on what it’ll take to win the division. “I think what gets people caught is they look they look past the division. They’re like, ‘I gotta win the division.’ But you got to play every single game in the division. You have two two games with every team, and every game might be different. But you have to be overly prepared for every single game because every game matters.
“Obviously, your division games matter a lot, but then every game matters a lot too, even the guys that aren’t in your division,” Robinson continued. “So I think just having that momentum going into these games is the biggest thing, and not looking ahead and taking just one one division game at a time, man.”
Falcons Lost Close Week 1 Game Against Steelers With Cooper Rush
The Falcons dropped their season opener, but it’s worth noting they were starting third-string quarterback Cooper Rush. Rush was announced the starter before game time due to Tua Tagovailoa’s oblique injury. Michael Penix Jr. — the starter last season — also remains sidelined due to his recovery from a torn ACL last season.
They were competitive deep in the fourth quarter but Rush’s interception to T.J. Watt was returned for a touchdown which proved to be the difference.
Atlanta could be starting Rush again this week. Rush didn’t have the greatest game against Pittsburgh — 143 passing yards, one touchdown, two interceptions — but he is a veteran quarterback with experience. Rush once led the Dallas Cowboys to a 4-1 start during the 2022 season and is 9-8 over the course of his career as a starter.
The Falcons ended last season on a four-game winning streak, which included wins over the Los Angeles Rams and divisional rivals, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints.
They’ll try to carry over that success from last season and will hope to utilize Rush’s veteran experience as they look to defeat the Panthers for their first win of the season.
Bijan Robinson Partners With SONIC For The 2026 NFL Season
During the 2026 season, Robinson — along with his fellow division rival Baker Mayfield — are partnering with SONIC for their new $7 Meal Deal. Robinson and Mayfield are both starring in ads for the fast food restaurant.
The partnership also ties in together because Robinson wears the No. 7 jersey.
“It’s a $7 Big Deal Meal with a partnership,” said Robinson. “It’s been a great partnership, man. Obviously, the number seven and how it ties in together is super cool to me. But then with the meal, it’s the cheeseburger, the sundae, the fries or the tots, and then you have your drink. It’s one of those meals where it’s a whole dinner for you or your family, and it’s been something that’s been really cool for me because I grew up eating SONIC, obviously. It just ties in perfectly. I hope everybody is a part of it and goes to SONIC and buys it and just enjoys it, man.”
Robinson said he likes going with the strawberry sundae, the chili dog, the double cheeseburger, the strawberry limeade drink and the tots as his go-to food options. He said he’s comfortable in front of the camera and would be open to doing more commercials.
“I enjoy doing the commercials, man,” said Robinson. “It’s cool because people are so receptive of it, and all my friends, family, every time they see me on there — my grandma — she’ll probably just go to SONIC, or she’ll go get Colgate or Old Spice (Robinson’s other partnerships) or something. But it’s definitely been a blessing, man, to show that side of myself in front of the camera.”
Bijan Robinson’s 5-Word Statement on How Falcons Can End Playoff Drought