When the San Francisco 49ers let Brian Robinson walk this offseason, nobody batted an eye. It was even less surprising when they replaced him with a rookie in the middle rounds of the draft.
But as solid as Kaelon Black has been through the first month of the season, Robinson has been better.
The Atlanta Falcons gladly scooped Robinson up in free agency, making him Bijan Robinson's backup. In that role, he has been exceptional this season. He had a statement performance in Atlanta's Monday Night Football win over the New Orleans Saints, racking up 62 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries.
Through four games, Robinson already has more touchdowns and about half as many yards as he did in the entire 2025 season with the 49ers.
Unlike San Francisco, Atlanta is figuring out that he can still play a major role without limiting the starter's impact.
Falcons are showing 49ers the Brian Robinson blueprint they should have followed
So far this season, Robinson has totaled 194 rushing yards and four touchdowns. He's averaging 4.4 yards per carry, the highest mark of his career. The Falcons use him heavily near the goal line, but he also gives Bijan Robinson a chance to rest.
Even with significant contributions from Brian Robinson, Bijan Robinson hasn't slowed down at all. He currently ranks second in the NFL, only behind Kenneth Walker III, with 494 rushing yards, and has scored four touchdowns of his own. He's Atlanta's primary receiving back with 14 catches for 120 yards and a score.
Bijan Robinson is firmly in the race for the Offensive Player of the Year. His impact on the Falcons' offense hasn't been stifled by Brian Robinson's arrival in the slightest.
In 2025, the 49ers kept Robinson's role limited, continuing to give Christian McCaffrey a heavier workload. Robinson never had more than ten carries in a game for San Francisco, and his involvement tapered off at the end of the season. Including the playoffs, he had five carries or fewer in each of the Niners' last five games of the 2025 campaign.
Meanwhile, McCaffrey set a career-high in rushing attempts.
The 49ers won't regret letting Robinson leave in free agency. Black offers them a longer-term option behind McCaffrey, and at a much lower price. But if they had used Robinson like the Falcons are using him now, their 2025 offense could have been even more potent than it already was.
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