Falcons Bijan Robinson’ contract extension makes him NFL’s highest-paid RB

Robinson, 24, is now the highest-paid running back of all time, a title fit for the NFL’s reigning leader in yards from scrimmage and someone who former Falcons coach Raheem Morris often dubbed the best overall player in the league.

Since entering the NFL as the No. 8 overall pick in 2023, Robinson has rushed for 3,910 yards, second-most in the league, to go along with 25 rushing touchdowns. He’s also tallied 198 receptions for 1,738 yards and nine additional scores through the air.

Credit: Instagram/Bijan Robinson

Credit: Instagram/Bijan Robinson

Robinson is one of the league’s most dynamic playmakers and has cemented his spot as a franchise cornerstone for the Falcons, who made it a priority this summer to lock up their young core of weapons.

The 5-foot-11, 215-pound Robinson joins receiver Drake London, tight end Kyle Pitts and left guard Matthew Bergeron as offensive cornerstones 25 years old and younger to sign long-term extensions with the Falcons since the beginning of June. London inked a four-year, $141 million deal, while Pitts signed a three-year, $54 million contract. Bergeron netted a four-year contract on Saturday worth up to $96 million.

When the Falcons gave London his extension, Robinson called and told him, “You’re really rich, bro. You have so much money.”

Now, less than a month later, Robinson has joined the extension club. And the Falcons have no concerns about how he’ll handle the weight of a significant contract.

Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski, who’s been around his share of elite running backs in Adrian Peterson, Nick Chubb and others, said Robinson has made an indelible impression with his on-field talent and off-field character.

“I was cautioned by people that you’re not going to think this guy’s real when you talk to him,” Stefanski said in May. “That’s who he is. That’s who Bijan is every single day. How he approaches life, how he approaches people, he’s just got that authentic way about him. Been fun to watch him work out here.

“The physical skill set, what he’s capable of doing — you see it on tape, you see it up on the grass even now — is really, really impressive. And then it’s the person off the field. The impact that he has on our locker room, which is really impressive.”

Robinson, who hails from Tucson, Arizona, and attended the University of Texas, is one of the NFL’s brightest young stars — and he’ll represent the Falcons into the prime of his professional career.