The Falcoholic
Bijan Robinson just led the entire NFL in scrimmage yards during a wizardly campaign where he rushed for a career-high 1,478 yards, reeled in a career-high 79 passes for 820 yards, and scored a combined 11 touchdowns. It was one of the most impressive seasons in franchise history, and it’s now earned him a first-team All-Pro nod.
Robinson is the first Falcons first teamer since Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, and Vic Beasley all were honored back during the 2016 season. Jessie Bates, Kyle Pitts, and Chris Lindstrom were all named second-team All-Pros.
Bijan had a number of big runs called back by holding that could have given him a better shot to break Chris Johnson’s all-time yards from scrimmage mark, but it was a remarkable season regardless. The engine for a Falcons offense that too often sputtered in 2025, very little of the team’s struggles could be laid at the feat of the gifted back, who used incredible balance, his trademark jumps cuts, and a blend of vision, power, and speed to frequently leave defenders on the ground and grasping at air. His 2,298 scrimmage yards were a franchise record, surpassing the great William Andrews’ mark in 1983, and throughout a tough season his production and calm were vital for keeping the Falcons afloat. He couldn’t be more deserving of the award.
What’s really scary with Robinson is that he’ll be just 24 years old in 2026, and his work ethic and production to this point suggest we may not have seen his ceiling. That’s scary for the rest of the NFL, to be clear.
While Bates and Lindstrom had relative down years by their lofty standards, both were still very good and quite deserving, as well. Bates had three interceptions, including a pick-six, to go with 98 tackles, 6 pass deflections, and a forced fumble, while Lindstrom had some terrific stretches in pass protection and was his usual stellar self in terms of run blocking.
Pitts is the surprise, but only because I wasn’t sure he’d be honored. He put together inarguably the most complete season of his career, reeling in 88 receptions for 928 yards and five touchdowns and continuing to make strides as a blocker. That included a number of tough catches in traffic and a monster game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that ranks among the finest by a tight end in team history. The only outstanding question for Pitts now is whether he’ll be back in Atlanta in 2026 or not.
Congratulations to all four Falcons, and may they all make their mark again next year in a more successful season for Atlanta.
