Falcons sign Bijan Robinson to historic three-year extension, making him NFL's highest-paid running back
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Bijan Robinson signed a three-year extension with the Atlanta Falcons worth up to $75 million, including $51 million guaranteed — the highest guaranteed sum ever for a running back outside rookie contracts, per ESPN.
- Robinson's $25 million AAV surpasses Saquon Barkley's $20.6 million AAV, pushing Barkley from the top of the NFL's running back market.
- Robinson had been holding in at training camp since camp opened; with the deal done, he can rejoin practice ahead of the 2026 season after Atlanta went 8-9 in 2025.
- Robinson set a Falcons franchise record with 2,298 scrimmage yards last season (also leading the NFL), and his 5,648 career scrimmage yards are the most by any player age 23 or younger in NFL history.
- Atlanta's new front office — first-year GM Ian Cunningham and president of football Matt Ryan — also locked up Drake London (four years, $141.05M), Kyle Pitts (three years, $54M), and Matthew Bergeron (four years, $96M) this offseason.
- Jahmyr Gibbs is also holding in at Lions camp seeking his own extension; Lions head coach Dan Campbell said the Robinson deal "certainly not going to hurt" Gibbs' negotiations.
- Gibbs has 49 career touchdowns (most in an NFL player's first three seasons) and led the NFL in scrimmage touchdowns (38) over the last two seasons while ranking third in scrimmage yards (3,768).
Why it matters: Robinson's $75 million deal resets the RB market at a $25M AAV, giving Detroit a clear benchmark for extending Gibbs — who holds the NFL record for most touchdowns through three seasons and could blow past Robinson's number. Atlanta's new regime has now committed roughly $366 million across Robinson, London, Pitts, and Bergeron, signaling a full-scale roster investment around its young core.
