In the Atlanta Falcons' 24-14 victory over the Buffalo Bills, Bijan Robinson continued to prove why he is the best running back in the NFL. Under the bright lights of Monday Night Football, Robinson delivered a career-defining performance in which he ran for 170 yards and a score and added six receptions for 68 yards.
Robinson was named NFC Offensive Player of the Month for September and looks to have picked up where he left off before Atlanta's bye week. After the Dirty Birds' stunning upset over the 4-1 Bills, Bijan revealed the running back he primarily drew inspiration from.
Bijan Robinson says he watched Adrian Peterson college highlights before the game today. #Falcons
— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) October 14, 2025
The 23-year-old watched Adrian Peterson's college highlights prior to Monday Night Football in hopes of replicating some of the magic generated by "All Day"—but it probably doesn't hurt that Robinson's Longhorns knocked off Peterson's Sooners in the Red River Rivalry on Saturday.
Bijan Robinson is hoping to become the NFL's most dominant running back since Adrian Peterson
Bijan might have been taking a look at college tape, but the NFL is where the 2007 first-round pick made his true impact. During his 15-year career, Peterson shined, becoming a four-time All Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler, and won the 2012 NFL MVP after nearly breaking Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record.
Like Peterson, Robinson runs with a rare mix of patience, power, and burst — and it’s becoming increasingly clear that defenders have no answer for it. His 81-yard touchdown in the second quarter looked like he ripped a page straight out of AP's playbook.
The numbers from Robinson's junior year looked eerily similar to those from Peterson's freshman season at OU. He ran for 1,925 yards and 19 touchdowns on 5.7 yards per carry, while Bijan ran for 1,580 yards and 18 scores for Texas back in 2022.
AP defined the running back position during the late 2000's and early 2010's, and remains one of the most accomplished backs of the generation, and his fellow Texas native is becoming the engine of Atlanta's offense just like he was in Minnesota.
Meanwhile, Robinson is the true definition of a dual-threat back. He leads the league in scrimmage yards and is on pace to become just the fourth running back in NFL history to record both 1,000 rushing and 1,000 receiving yards in the same season.
He was named to his first-career Pro Bowl in 2024 and looks poised to do the same this year. And his sizzling start to 2025 makes it no surprise that guys like LeBron James are taking notice.
Robinson has drawn comparisons to Peterson since entering the league, but hearing him admit that he intentionally studies the Sooner legend adds another layer to his meteoric rise. And if he keeps running wild like this, he'll be one of the names future generations look up to.