Robinson becomes NFL's highest-paid running back ever
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- Bijan Robinson agreed to a three-year extension with the Atlanta Falcons worth up to $75m (£55m), including $51m (£37m) guaranteed — the largest guarantee ever for an NFL running back and a deal that runs through the 2030 season.
- The $22.25m (£16.5m) annual average pushes Robinson past the previous high mark of $20.6m (£15.3m) per year set by Saquon Barkley at the Philadelphia Eagles.
- Robinson attended but did not participate in the first week of training camp, including Monday's first padded practice, in a contract "hold-in" before Tuesday's deal was announced.
- A panel of eight AP Pro Football Writers ranked Robinson the league's top running back in a pre-season poll, after he led the NFL with 2,298 scrimmage yards and 11 touchdowns last season.
- Robinson's 1,478 rushing yards and 820 receiving yards in 2025 made him only the second player ever — alongside Steven Jackson in 2006 — to post at least 1,400 rushing yards and 800 receiving yards in the same season.
- The extension continues a Falcons offseason spending spree on offensive core players, following new contracts for wide receiver Drake London, tight end Kyle Pitts, and left guard Matthew Bergeron (four years, announced Saturday).
Why it matters: Robinson's $22.25m annual average resets the running back market at $1.65m per year above Saquon Barkley's previous high — a notable premium for a position the league has broadly devalued. Atlanta is committing top-of-market money to its 24-year-old dual-threat back on the same day AP voters crowned him the league's best RB, betting his receiving production (820 yards) justifies the price.
