The Giants may have poked around on Bijan Robinson, but the answer from Atlanta was never going to be anything but firm.
On Wednesday, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reported that New York had checked in on the Falcons running back’s availability and got nowhere. When asked about the rumor, Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski kept it brutally short.
“No,” said Stefanski when asked if there was ever a chance that Robinson would be traded, per Josh Kendall of The Athletic on X, formerly Twitter.
That lines up with the reality in Atlanta. Robinson is the centerpiece of the Falcons’ offense, a player the team leans on as both a runner and a receiving weapon. Moving him would not just be a major roster decision - it would strip away the core of what Atlanta is trying to do on offense.
The deadline did bring some movement for the Falcons, though. Atlanta dealt safety Jessie Bates III to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for future draft compensation.
As for what the Giants were willing to put on the table for Robinson, that remains unclear. But it would have taken a massive package for the Falcons to even entertain the idea.
And while Atlanta has struggled during Robinson’s time with the team, that hasn’t been on him. The Falcons are 3-6 and on track to miss the playoffs for an astounding tenth straight season, but Robinson remains the one player who gives the fan base something to hold onto.
Atlanta’s next game comes Sunday at home against the Kansas City Chiefs.
In Other News...
Falcons Defense Faces A Brutal Mahomes Problem This Week
Patrick Mahomes spent the week listed with an elbow strain and sprain, but he practiced fully and is expected to be out there in Week 10 when the Falcons meet the Chiefs. For Atlanta, that changes the conversation from whether Kansas City might be shorthanded to how much damage Mahomes can still do even while working through an injury, especially against a defense that has to be ready for the speed and rhythm of the Chiefs passing game.
The challenge gets even trickier because Kansas City does not need to lean on one thing to move the ball. Kenneth Walker III gives the Chiefs a strong ground element, while Mahomes and the passing attack can still stress a defense with quick throws and yards after the catch. For the Falcons, the problem is less about one matchup and more about surviving the full menu of what Kansas City can throw at them. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Bring Kicker Drama Into Falcons Game With Bigger Question Looming
Harrison Butkers recent run of missed field goals has become one of the quieter but more persistent issues hanging over Kansas City, with the veteran kicker coming up short in recent games against the Seahawks and Broncos. Even so, the Chiefs are not making a change just yet, and the situation now follows them into a matchup with Atlanta, where special teams could matter as much as anything else if the game stays tight.
Andy Reid is keeping Butker in the lineup for now, even as the Chiefs have added Justin Tucker to the practice squad and left the door open to a possible shakeup later. For the Falcons, it is the kind of subplot worth watching from afar, because a team that has been steady enough to keep its footing in the standings could still end up facing a very different kicking picture before long. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Just Drew A Hard Line In Their Rebuild
The Falcons were willing to make real moves at the NFL trade deadline, sending away key starters Jessie Bates III and Ryan Neuzil as they continue reshaping the roster. But the front office also made clear there is a difference between retooling and tearing it down, and some names were never part of the conversation in the same way. Atlantas approach suggests a rebuild with boundaries, not a full-scale purge.
One of those boundaries was Bijan Robinson. The Giants reportedly checked in on the running back, but Atlanta never seriously entertained the idea of moving him, a sign of how firmly the team views him as part of its long-term core. For a franchise trying to build around young talent, keeping Robinson out of the deadline churn says plenty about where the Falcons believe their foundation already is. [Read more 🡒]