With the NFL salary cap rising just about every single season, massive contracts are only going to get bigger, and that was the case for the Atlanta Falcons and running back Bijan Robinson. The two parties agreed to a deal early on Tuesday, and it might be bigger than you think.
The Falcons do have a generational player in Robinson. He led the NFL with 2,298 scrimmage yards in 2025 and is simply a weapon - not just a running back. With the Falcons having quarterback uncertainties, his value to the offense could not be higher, so it's really not a shock he got paid like he did.
He's also only set to enter his age-24 season, so he's still very young even with his being in his fourth year. The deal he inked with the team on Tuesday has sent the running back contract market into a new universe, too.
Atlanta Falcons hand Bijan Robinson a deal worth $25 million per season
It's a three-year extension worth $75 million, which comes out to $25 million per year. Robinson also gets $51 million in guarantees and $37 million at signing, according to Adam Schefter:
ESPN sources: Two-time Pro-Bowl selection Bijan Robinson and the Falcons reached agreement on a three-year extension worth up to $75 million that now will make him the highest-paid running back in NFL history. Robinson will receive a record $51 million guaranteed, including $37… pic.twitter.com/bLzbDVEgfh
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 4, 2026
Robinson absolutely shattered the running back contract market. At $25 million per year, he's now significantly ahead of Saquon Barkley of the Philadelphia Eagles, who is the second highest-paid per year at $20.6 million.
The total value of the deal is also higher than De'Von Achane, who signed a $64 million deal with the Miami Dolphins a bit earlier in the offseason. Furthermore, the guarantees of $51 million are the highest in the league as well, outside of rookie Jeremiyah Love, who is on one of the most valuable rookie contracts in the league.
Of the non-Love running backs, Robinson has the highest guarantees and simply has the biggest contract at the position. While this may seem overkill, this is how contracts work for top-tier players in the NFL. The market was always going to go this way at some point, and it's flat-out awesome that the Falcons have a player they can reset the market with.
Robinson is truly special in every sense of the word and is on a very early pace to be a Hall of Famer when it's all said and done. Now that this deal is in the books, the Detroit Lions likely want to take their contract negotiations with Jahmyr Gibbs to the finish line.
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