Robinson has 780 yards and a plan for Real Madrid stars
The Falcons' rushing leader intends to meet privately with Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé before Sunday's game in Spain.
By Victoria Hayes ·
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson intends to hold private meetings with Real Madrid forwards Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé during the team's stay in Madrid.
Robinson leads the National Football League in rushing yards this season with 780. The Atlanta Falcons are currently 3-5 and travel to Spain to play the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
The Falcons lost 16-0 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last Sunday. In that game, Robinson carried the ball 19 times for 76 yards. The team views the upcoming match as a necessary rebound.
Robinson has known Vinícius for several years. The two players connected through a shared jeweler when the Brazilian national team played in the United States a few years ago. Both athletes wear the number 7 jersey.
Robinson recently met with Mbappé at the French national team headquarters during an NFL promotional event. Mbappé wore a helmet and shoulder pads to play American football with Robinson. Robinson also kicked a soccer ball during the visit.
Vinícius has struggled for Real Madrid this season. He scored one goal in a league victory over Real Sociedad in August. The forward is currently serving a four-game suspension in La Liga. He received the suspension after pulling an opponent's hair and arguing with the referee following a red card.
Robinson plans to tell Vinícius to ignore external noise. Robinson believes that listening to outside opinions can distract a player. He advises Vinícius to stay away from social media and trust his own path.
"I'll tell (Vinícius), just stay the course. Don't worry about external noise, because once that creeps in, then you start to listen to it, and you start to believe what people have to say about you," Robinson said. He added that Vinícius should focus on executing his role for the team without hesitation.
Robinson also addressed his own performance. He said he does not feel like he is playing at the level of the best running back in the league yet. He and his coach aim to make the running game lethal and dominant. "When the run game is operating on a high level for this team, we're just hard to beat," he said.
The Falcons are in Madrid with a business focus. Robinson said the team is aware of the local attractions but prioritizes the result. He described the game as a playoff-style contest that will test the team's unity.
