Commanders activate Brian Robinson as legendary comeback takes next step

To think Brian Robinson is closing in on a return to football after he suffered two gunshot wounds to his lower extremities is simply miraculous. The Washington Commanders running back is not only lucky to be alive, but to be walking and running seemingly with zero limitations two months removed from the accident.

Robinson underwent immediate surgery to treat his injuries and the Commanders subsequently placed him on the NFI/Reserve List, knocking him out the first four games. Washington stressed that Robinson wouldn’t be rushed back, but the player’s improbable recovery has almost forced their hand in taking the necessary steps to getting him back on the field.

The 2022 third-round pick out of Alabama shed his crutches days after surgery and was spotted riding the bike at practice shortly thereafter.

A week later, Robinson was back at practice breezing through agility drills. His acceleration, agility and lateral movements were indicative of a player working their way back from an upper-body injury; not two gunshot wounds, one of which struck his knee and somehow missed all of the major ligaments and tendons.

On Sunday, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the Commanders were expected to activate Robinson. On Monday, that became reality.

The Commanders have activated Brian Robinson a month after he was shot twice in his lower extremities.

An already-improbable comeback has taken a major step, though it doesn’t necessarily mean Robinson will be on the field in Week 5.

Per Rapoport, there’s a chance Robinson practices in full this week but doesn’t suit up Sunday. The Commanders view this week as a de facto “ramp-up period” for the rookie and they’ll evaluate him at the end of the week to determine his status for the game. Ron Rivera added Monday he’s “optimistic” about Robinson’s availability for Sunday’s game against Tennessee.

Before the incident, Robinson was poised to take the starting running back job from Antonio Gibson. While Gibson started the year on a high note with 130 total yards on 22 touches, he’s racked up 81 total yards the last two weeks. Before Week 4, Gibson was averaging a lowly 3.1 yards per carry on 40 rushes.

Not only that, but Gibson hasn’t seen much volume as a receiver, as Curtis Samuel and JD McKissic have become Washington’s preferred outlets out of the backfield and in the intermediate passing game.

Perhaps Gibson will assume a bigger pass-catching role once Robinson is back up to speed, but his limitations between the tackles are well-documented and his 3.3 YPC on the season ranks 45th in the league after three games.

We’ll cross that bridge when the time comes, though.

It’d be one thing if Robinson was out the entire season. Even if he took two or three full years to return to the Commanders, his comeback would fall into the legendary category. The fact he met the NFI’s four-week timeline and could potentially make his NFL debut this week or next is impossible to put into words.