Bijan Robinson's untimely fumble to open the game against the Bills brought back nightmares fans don't want to re-live. You won't see it on the stat sheet due to Bills' defensive end Greg Rousseau lining up offsides, but Robinson was inches from back-to-back games with a fumble.
Before the penalty was announced, many assumed the flag would be called on Atlanta's in-motion receiver, but we're always told not to assume.
If this play counted, Buffalo would have begun their drive at Atlanta's 46-yard line, driving a stake through the heart of Falcon fans. Thankfully, the fumble was negated, and Atlanta went on to score dominantly, but much to the chagrin of fans worldwide. Despite Robinson being an all-world talent and currently among the MVP conversation, we've seen this adverse flaw rear its ugly head before.
Bijan Robinson's fumble issues are a major red flag
During Atlanta's Week 4 bout against Washington, Robinson fumbled on the opening possession, which resulted in a five-yard loss, and stalled a potential touchdown drive. Penalty negated or not, fumbles were thought to be in the rearview mirror for Robinson. After four fumbles during his rookie campaign, the Sophomore just lost the ball once in 2024, ironically also against Washington.
On a first-and-goal from the Commanders' five-yard line, nearing the two-minute warning with the game on the line, a direct snap flew wildly past Robinson, resulting in a loss of 21. That lone miscue ruined a fumble-free season for the Falcons' star running back. Despite this unfortunate flaw, Robinson has bulldozed his way into elite company through his young career.
The Texas alum has totaled the most yards from scrimmage through five games in Falcons history, with his dominant Monday night performance. His 822 yards from scrimmage (rushing and receiving) lead the NFL, despite playing one less game than most due to the early bye week.
To continue the accolades, Robinson joined Hall-of-Famer Thurman Thomas as the only two players to record 450+ rushing and 300+ receiving yards through the first five games in NFL history. Thomas accomplished this feat in 1991 and was voted the AP NFL MVP that season.
From ESPN Research: Bijan Robinson is the second player to reach 450 rushing yards and 300 receiving yards through his first five games of a season in NFL history, joining Thurman Thomas in 1991. #Falcons
— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) October 14, 2025
From a fan perspective, Robinson's fumble flaw is concerning, but certainly won't outweigh his strengths. The 2025 NFL season has been kind to the Falcons' All-Pro running back, and time will tell if the fumble woes are resolved. Nevertheless, the 23-year-old should be viewed as a top-five player in the NFL, and praised for his hoard of accomplishments through just over two full seasons.