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Zone Read: Bijan Robinson Unplugged 2.0

Arizona Sports News online

Last Friday morning in Tucson, Salpointe Catholic High School made it officially official, retiring Bijan Robinson’s number (number 5), in front of a packed crowd at the schools’ gymnasium.

The former University of Texas All-American, and Doak Walker Award winner, recently signed a 3-year, $75 million extension with the Atlanta Falcons. The deal made Robinson, 24, the highest paid running back in NFL history.

“Zone Read” caught up with arguably the greatest player in Arizona high school football history to discuss a myriad of topics on, and off, the field.

Describe how special this is for you, to come back to Salpointe, and experience this honor? “It’s such a blessing. To see where God took me from the moment I stepped foot on this campus, to now where I’m at today. It’s been an amazing journey, and for them to honor this day, and retire [my number], it’s pretty amazing.

“I just can’t thank everybody enough here, for this journey I’ve been on here in Arizona, and Tucson, and just continuing to make this city prosper with everything that I do. So, it’s a blessing.”

Looking back, how would you sum up your high school football career here at Salpointe? “It’s was extremely fun, not just for me, but to help every other kid here get recruited, and for a lot of coaches from around the country to come to Salpointe. But they would go to other schools [in Tucson], as well. I think that what was what was cool about the journey is, there were other kids getting recruited and getting looked at.

“So, I think that was a cool experience for me, and we were blessed to do what we did here on the field but it benefited everybody else at the same time. So, I think that’s what was pretty special about the journey here…this is my roots. Me being here is where it all started…it’s all surreal to come back to these moments right here and to share with everybody.”

You have a pretty deep football family history in southern Arizona that you’re now carrying on into the NFL. Explain what that means to you? “The family history is, it’s a cool lineage. My uncle Paul [Robinson] played for the Bengals and won Rookie of the Year [in 1968] as a running back. You want to say [my success] was kind of destined, but it was cool to see him do it first, and for me to look up to him as a player…and just as a family member. 

“[He and I] would always talk about football and just life. He always used to say, ‘If you ever get to the level I was at, this is how you handle it.’

“Now seeing it today, it’s always cool to have that advice from him, and my grandpa, and everybody in my family that’s done some great stuff in sports in this city. So, it’s cool to just continue to live on with it.”

How much does being on campus on a Friday make you feel like you should just be walking around campus in that jersey? “I mean, shoot, Fridays here were special (flashing a wide grin). Like, Fridays here, obviously I was super locked in, but everybody was ready for the game, antsy, ready to go – from all the students, to us as players.

“So, for me, it was a special moment every single Friday, and I feel like it was a big moment for the city because, every single game, everybody was at our games. From kids to other schools, to parents from other schools, everybody wanted to come see us play on Friday nights. 

“I know that was a pretty special feeling and seeing me grow from that to my time at Texas. It was pretty cool.”

From the time I met you here at Salpointe, to your time at UT, and now into the NFL – you’ve starred at every level, but none of that success changed you as a person. How have you remained so grounded and humble? “Definitely my faith. My faith is the biggest thing in that and just knowing who I’m playing for, and doing everything for, for God.

“That’s what kept me who I am today. I never change. I’ll always be me, and the only thing that changed is I just kept getting older. I kept growing, and getting wise. From high school, here at Salpointe, to everyone trying to help me. [Former Salpointe] From [former Salpointe head coach] Coach [Dennis] Bene, obviously being the biggest asset in that. Him just taking me under his wing…he was just trying to make me the best man I can be, the most respectful person I can be and, obviously, the best football player.

“So, he did an amazing job, as well as all my coaches [at Salpointe] who did an amazing job, as well. Then, from college to the NFL, it just never slowed down.”

Following up on your faith-driven approach both on, and off, the field. You’ve sort of coined the phrase, ‘Make God famous.’ Unpack what that means to you. “It means everything to me because I don’t play this game for notoriety, for glory, for anything. I just give it all to God because that’s who I play for, that’s who my purpose is for. 

“I know what this game comes with. It comes with a lot of notoriety, people knowing your name and stuff like that, but it’s not for me. It’s not for me. I just enjoy playing it because He allows me to play it and it makes people happy to watch me play it.

“But everything I do, from on the field to off the field, it all goes towards Him, and I’m going to give Him the glory for everything.”

Compare and contrast the speed of the game going from Salpointe to Texas, then from Texas to the NFL. “The jump was from high school to college. That’s the real jump because you’re going from guys who aren’t as athletic [as you]. Everybody in college is athletic. They’re all big, they’re all smart. They all know how to play the game. 

“I think that was the biggest jump for me, just getting used to that speed of the game and letting the game slow down. That first year in college, too, it was all a process. Every first year I’ve had, at every single level, was all a learning lesson. But then, when the second year hit, it all slowed down for me, and I let my God-given talent go to work. 

“The jump to the NFL from college is not drastic, but the jump from high school to college is pretty big.”

[Editor’s Note: we also asked Coach Bene to share a few thoughts on Bijan]

“He’s that once-in-a-lifetime player you get which is fantastic, a real blessing. I met him when he was an eighth grader and we’re still very, very close 10 years later. He’s an NFL superstar but he’s the same kid, he’s the same Bijan. He’s just so humble, so down to earth, so grounded. I think the way he lives his life is such a great example for a lot of young people. 

“Even when he was here, he was the face of our program, but it was never about him. He just wanted to win. He loved the game. He loved to practice…when your best player is your hardest worker, it just makes [coaching] so enjoyable…he brought everybody to another level…Bijan transcended the sport.

“He’s left an indelible mark on everybody and he’s obviously had a tremendous impact on me, as well.”

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