Atlanta Falcons All-Pro running back Bijan Robinson saw Zachariah Branch slam his helmet in frustration after his second fumble Sunday, pulled the rookie aside, offered encouraging words and prayed for him.
The moment was captured on video and posted all over social media.
“I know for a young guy, like a lot of that pressure gets to your head really quick,” Robinson said on the AP’s “ Football Unfiltered ” podcast. “I knew it was up to me to go over
there and grab him and just walk him down on the sideline, like away from everybody, away from the coaches, the team, and just say: ‘Yo, you can’t worry about anything external going on right now. You’re an amazing player, a great addition to this team so you gotta follow your faith in this time right now and don’t let (anything) creep into your mind that you’re not good enough or anything like that.’”
Branch, a wide receiver who was a third-round pick in this year’s draft, lost both fumbles on special teams, one on a punt return and another on a kick return. They led to 10 points for the Bears as they beat the Falcons 31-23.
The 24-year-old Robinson is already in his fourth season in the NFL and has taken a leadership role in Atlanta’s locker room.
“I think the guys respect what I have to say because everything that I say is super positive,” Robinson said. “I try to like lead us into the right direction, no matter what the situation is.”
On the field, Robinson does his part. He has 641 yards rushing and four touchdowns plus 20 catches for 144 yards and one TD.
Zach Ertz returned to the Eagles earlier this season, rejoining the team he helped to win its first Super Bowl title nine years ago. Ertz is second on Philadelphia’s all-time list in receptions with 582. He trails Pro Football Hall of Famer Harold Carmichael, who caught 589 passes for the Eagles.
But Ertz has run out of elevations from the practice squad to the active roster and starter Dallas Goedert has returned from injury. So, Ertz’s status is uncertain.
“I’ve never been focused on the outcome. I’ve never been focused on certain goals per se,” Ertz said on “Football Unfiltered.” “For me, it’s all about the process and the journey. I just truly believe that the work will always win out at the end. It’s just going out there each and every day during practice, showing that I can still make a difference in this league. And, ultimately, it’s up to the coaches. I can’t control whether I’m up on Sunday or not up on Monday. All I can control is my attitude, my effort, and that’s never gonna change with me.”
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