Bijan Robinson apologizes for using a homophobic phrase on TNF postgame show
Bijan Robinson issued an apology on social media after his comments on the Thursday Night Football Nightcap postgame show drew criticism. The Falcons running back had complimented his on-field performance when analyst Richard Sherman compared his elusive moves to backyard football.
During the segment, Sherman noted a standout sequence where Robinson caught a pass in the backfield, juked one defender, and then made multiple players miss. He quipped that Robinson’s style reminded him of playing in the backyard. In response, Robinson referenced a childhood game and used a derogatory term associated with that informal keep-away activity.
After the on-air remark, the broadcast team shifted the discussion to describe the game in more neutral terms, referring to the move as a “kill the carrier” play instead of the earlier colloquial reference.
Robinson subsequently apologized on X (formerly Twitter):
“I want to apologize for the insensitive comment I made on the broadcast. It was a football game we used to play as a kid, but that’s not an excuse. I recognize the mistake and will do better in the future. It does not reflect my beliefs, and I am truly sorry to those I offended.”
The Falcons staged a dramatic 14-point comeback in the fourth quarter, prevailing 29-28 thanks to a game-winning field goal by Zane Gonzalez as time expired. Robinson finished with 175 total yards, including eight receptions for 82 yards. He remains third in the NFL this season with 1,174 rushing yards.
Additional context: Jordy Fee-Platt, a Trending Writer for The Athletic, provided biographical notes about his career and background beyond the game coverage.
Question for discussion: How should professional athletes approach on-air comments that touch on sensitive topics, and what responsibilities do broadcasters have in shaping the context of athletes’ remarks? Should there be a standardized approach to address such missteps in real time or in post-game apologies?
