It may not be uncommon for two teammates who play the same position to secretly root against one another. But that’s not what’s happening with Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier.
Allgeier ran for over 1,000 yards in his rookie season in 2022, but just a few months after his first campaign wrapped up, the Atlanta Falcons selected Robinson with the eighth overall selection in the NFL Draft.
With Robinson being a star in Texas, the writing was on the wall for Allgeier to complement Robinson.
But that was fine with him. Off the field, they are “the bestest of friends,” Robinson said.
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Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (7) celebrates after a touchdown with running back Tyler Allgeier (25) against the New Orleans Saints in the second quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Brett Davis/USA Today Sports)
“I feel like a work environment that’s cool, but having that off the field as well, it just brings us even closer. So, that work environment is easy. It’s not forced. I think having those relationships that aren’t forced is just so natural and awesome to have. To be Bijan’s boy, it’s just awesome to have a best friend on the team,” Allgeier said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital with Robinson by his side.
“Off the field, we became the bestest of friends,” Robinson added. “This is my brother. I can rely on him for everything and anything. That we’re here in the Super Bowl doing something together, that’s all you can ask for.”
Naturally, they partnered with Bounty to be each other’s wingman ahead of the Super Bowl.
“You can’t have football without wings, and you can’t have wings without Bounty. That’s the main thing. But having my wingman right here? Can’t get any better,” said Allgeier.
“I think our relationship is like Bounty and wings. It’s literally the same thing. You can’t have one without the other,” Robinson added. “For me, this is one of the best running backs in the league. There’s no backup in his title at all.
“For me to share the field with him, and for when I get tired, he goes in, when he gets tired, I’ll go in. We’re just trying to play off each other and just have fun with it. We have a coach that allows us to maximize our abilities.”
Much like the running backs, it was similar when the Falcons, just a months after signing Kirk Cousins, drafted Michael Penix with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Penix eventually took Cousins’ job, but there was nothing awkward between the two at all, the backs said.
Atlanta Falcons quarterbacks Michael Penix Jr., left, and Kirk Cousins on the field befor a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Dale Zanine/Imagn Images)
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“It was just good to see Kirk deal with that the right way. He never wavered, he never got mad or got disappointed,’” said Robinson. “He got right to work. He got right to helping Mike become who he wants to become. Even with Mike, he was so selfless and wanted to learn and get connections with all of us as players on the offense.
“I was never a love/hate, or hate, relationship at all. It was just support, and when you got a guy who can learn under a vet for a whole season really, then he comes in way more comfortable and way more prepared than just him having to start off right away being a rookie quarterback. They played off each other well, and we just love having both of them.”
Added Allgeier, “Being there the same time as Kirk, and especially having Kirk as the role model, I think he set the standard of what a vet and a great quarterback is to be in this league. Him being able to be under his wing and just chip away at it. It was dope to have. So, I think he was already preparing to be a starter. So, it was just a matter of timing and just his plan.”
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It’s unclear what Cousins’ future in Atlanta is. But, after many were confused by Atlanta picking Penix, it seems like they made a smart move thinking outside the box.
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