Ask any professional athlete in the country today who their favorite athlete was growing up and the name you'll hear most often is Kobe Bryant, even if they play another sport. If you could ask Kobe, he'd say Michael Jordan - but that's a story for another day.
Apparently we can count Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson in the Kobe camp. Here's what he had to say earlier this week when asked about his mentality for prime-time games, per Josh Kendall at The Athletic.
“Every single game for me is a primetime game... You are playing in front of a lot of people. You are expected to be a great player. They are all the same in terms of my mentality. I love what Kobe (Bryant) said: ‘They pay to watch you, so you have to do your job.'”
It's the
right approach, but it's also clear Robinson has another gear in prime-time games, because he's averaging a completely insane 185.8 yards from scrimmage in his last six appearances. That includes 213 in last week's win over the Green Bay Packers, which may have saved the Falcons' season.
Robinson could be in for even greater numbers tonight as he faces a New Orleans Saints defense that's allowing 128.7 yards per gameon the ground.
The Saints could be even more vulnerable in this department - as their defensive play-caller and centerpiece Kaden Elliss has been ruled out with a calf injury.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Bijan Robinson takes inspiration from Kobe Bryant on prime-time mentality
