A ‘Dream’ to Stay With Falcons, Says Bijan Robinson After Signing Record Extension

"God is so good," Robinson said. "Without Him I wouldn't be here."

Published: 8/5/2026, 11:57:05 PM EDT

A ‘Dream’ to Stay With Falcons, Says Bijan Robinson After Signing Record Extension — Bijan Robinson #7 of the Atlanta Falcons reacts against the Los Angeles Rams at the end of the second quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Dec. 29, 2025. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Bijan Robinson says he is happy to be staying with the Atlanta Falcons.

Robinson agreed to the deal on Tuesday, and signed it on Wednesday. The three-year contract, which takes effect in 2027, makes him the highest-paid running back in NFL history.

Robinson said that it was a lifelong dream to be with one team for his entire career, a dream he said is well on its way to being fulfilled.

"God is so good," Robinson told AtlantaFalcons.com, the team's official website. "Without Him I wouldn't be here. To keep playing with these guys and this organization. This is one of my dreams, to stay with one team. I think that is such a cool thing just because guys like Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan they all stayed on their one team, so I think that is a cool legacy thing for yourself."

Robinson staged a hold-in during the first week of training camp, and returned to practice on Tuesday.

He said that not practicing was hard for him and that he was "itching" to get back out onto the field with his teammates, adding that the extension was a symbol of the respect between himself and the Falcons organization's head coach Kevin Stefanski, general manager Ian Cunningham, president of football Matt Ryan, and owner Arthur Blank.

"It's kind of rare to do a deal, especially a running back deal, two years early," he said at a press conference on Wednesday. "So, for them to do that was definitely something that I'll never forget, and something that is just a testament to my faith and to what they had, their faith that they have in me, and I think it's pretty cool."

According to Spotrac, the extension is three years, $66.75 million with a maximum value of $75 million, and $51 million in guaranteed money. It is the largest running back contract in the NFL in terms of both total value—surpassing Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane’s 4-year, $64 million contract signed earlier this year—and average annual value, surpassing the record-setting $20.6 million per year the Philadelphia Eagles gave Saquon Barkley in 2026. It is also second in the league in total guarantees behind Arizona Cardinals RB Jeremiyah Love’s fully guaranteed $53 million rookie contract.

The extension does not come into effect until 2027, with the Falcons exercising the fifth-year option on Robinson’s contract in April.

Consistently Productive All-Purpose Back

Robinson has been one of the league’s most consistently productive all-purpose backs since he was drafted out of Texas with the 8th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. In his rookie season, he carried the ball 214 times for 976 yards and 4 touchdowns, adding 58 carries for 487 yards and 4 receiving touchdowns. He was named to the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team for his performance.

In 2024, he had 304 carries for 1,456 yards and 14 rushing scores, catching 61 passes for 431 yards and a touchdown. He won his first Pro Bowl selection.

In 2025, he rushed 287 times for 1,478 yards and 7 touchdowns; he added 79 receptions for 820 yards and 4 touchdowns. He was named to the Pro Bowl again and earned a First Team All-Pro selection as a running back and a Second Team nod as an all-purpose player.