The league sanctioned Atlanta and coach Arthur Smith for failing to report Bijan Robinson before the game against the Buccaneers in Week 7.
FLOWERY BRANCH — The NFL fined the Atlanta Falcons $75,000 and coach Arthur Smith $25,000 for their handling of the team’s injury report before their Week 7 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in October.
The league began investigating the Falcons after Bijan Robinson did not appear on the injury report, but he barely played in the team’s 16-13 win over the Buccaneers and told reporters after the game that he had been suffering from an illness and Headaches.
Smith said Friday that it was “not a contentious battle” with the league and that each side understood the other’s point of view on the matter.
Bijan Robinson was not reported injured, but he barely played against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
“There is an investigation and normally you have to respond with a letter. It wasn’t like a court case, there wasn’t a lot of time spent on it,” Smith said. “That’s how we interpreted it. This was our intention. Nothing was done to try to mess with something like that and I understood his point of view.
“So we learned our lesson.”
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Smith noted that they were transparent with the league about their process and what they did, including the fact that Bijan Robinson did play and that there was a different use of him against Tampa Bay.
Bijan Robinson said after the game that he started “feeling funny” on Saturday night, didn’t sleep well and woke up Sunday morning “feeling completely out of it.” He warmed up and was active during the game, but he barely played.
“The situation was [tan] good that it would be available. How much, we would just see how the game went,” Smith said in October. “The way the game went, [Cordarrelle Patterson] y Tyler [Allgeier] They did a good job, but he asked if he could play.
“I think he does a good job, especially in the last two minutes, he came out and affected the game, maybe it affected some decisions, we will never know.”
After the game, Bijan Robinson said his head was still bothering him. Bijan Robinson played 11 snaps, but only had one carry, a three-yarder on the final possession of the game, and had no receptions or passes sent his way. It was one of two games, along with last week’s 9-7 loss to the Carolina Panthers, in which Bijan Robinson recorded fewer than 10 touches.
Bijan Robinson said the following Wednesday that he started to feel better that Monday and “it was difficult, but I’m fine now.” He indicated that he has no history of migraines and that they came on out of nowhere. He noted that week that he always planned to play the Buccaneers and in the pregame conversation with Smith, they were trying to figure it out.
He said that Wednesday that he didn’t realize how important his usage — or lack thereof — was against the Buccaneers and that he was trying to do everything he could to help the team with his only carry.
“That’s all I’m going to say about it,” Bijan Robinson said in October. “Because I know it was an important situation because of that game.”
Bijan Robinson indicated this Friday in the Atlanta locker room, when he was informed of the fine against the franchise and Smith, that he did not want to get involved.
With Bijan Robinson severely limited against Tampa Bay, Patterson had 10 carries for 56 yards and Allgeier had 21 carries for 59 yards and three catches for 53 yards.
2023-12-23 02:25:16
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