It's hardly surprising that Bijan Robinson is considered one of the best non-quarterbacks in the NFL. The Atlanta Falcons running back never ceases to amaze with how dangerous he is in the open field, and whether it's on the ground or in the passing game, he is must-see TV every single time he touches the ball.
There's no doubt in my mind that Bijan is the best running back in the NFL, so of course he was briefly the NFL's highest-paid RB (before Jahmyr Gibbs one-upped him). And the craziest part is that he's been turning heads in a Zac Robinson and Dwayne Ledford system not very catered to his strengths.
But that's about to change. While addressing the media last week, the 24-year-old revealed that new Falcons' offensive line coach Bill Callahan implemented a running scheme similar to what he ran under Steve Sarkisian at Texas--so if he led the NFL in scrimmage yards last year, there's no telling what 2026 has in store for the All-Pro back.
For those who are unaware, Robinson accrued over 3,400 rushing yards and 33 rushing touchdowns across his career at Texas--which spanned just 31 college games. And he averaged over six yards per carry, and added another 60 receptions for 805 yards and eight scores.
Could Bijan Robinson make a push for the NFL's rushing record in 2026?
The NFL's single-season rushing record belongs to Eric Dickerson, who went for 2,105 yards with the Los Angeles Rams in 1984. But Dickerson put up that number in a 16-game season 40 years ago, the league adding an extra game to the season bodes well for the chances of this record being broken.
Considering Bijan has yet to miss a single game in his NFL career, his durability is a check in his favor. A 17-game season where he'll play all 17 games in a system where he's already proven to be as dangerous as it gets could be nightmare fuel for this record--as long as he gets the touches to do so.
Only nine running backs have ever eclipsed 2,000 rushing yards in a season, with Philadelphia Eagles' star Saquon Barkley being the most recent instance in 2024. After analyzing all nine of those seasons, they have a couple of things in common:
- Every RB recorded over 330 carries
- Every RB averaged over five yards a carry
- All of them had a 200-yard rushing game
For reference, Bijan Robinson has never recorded more than 304 rush attempts in a season-- likely due to how much the Dirty Birds rely on him as a pass-catcher. And while 330 carries would mean giving him just two extra carries a game, the new system's goal should be more home-run plays.
While the Dirty Birds are going to rely heavily on No. 7, they don't want to run him into the ground when they have other elite weapons like Drake London and Kyle Pitts. The running back position handles more wear-and-tear than most, but Kevin Stefanski's offense is likely going to hang its hat on the run game--especially since the quarterback play won't be good.
The fact of the matter is that Bijan Robinson is and will continue to be the centerpiece of this Atlanta Falcons' offense, and a system better catered to his skillset is giving him merit to join the 2,000 yard club--and maybe push for Eric Dickerson's record, which could mean MVP buzz.
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