Bijan Robinson Praises Kevin Stefanski’s Leadership Ahead of Falcons Preseason Opener
Bijan Robinson has seen three different head coaches run the Atlanta Falcons since the team drafted him in 2023. So when the star running back says Kevin Stefanski has stood out early, it carries some weight.
Robinson joined NFL Network’s Steve Smith Sr. and Sara Walsh on Wednesday to talk about his new coach, just days before Stefanski leads the Falcons into game action for the first time. Atlanta hosts the Denver Broncos in its preseason opener Friday at 7 p.m. ET at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the first real test of the Stefanski era.
Robinson has played under three coaching staffs in four seasons — Arthur Smith, Raheem Morris, and now Stefanski, who was hired by the Falcons in January after six seasons with the Cleveland Browns. He said the constant change taught him something about the position, even if it wasn’t the path he expected.
“It’s definitely a learning lesson just learning from all three different coaches, obviously different schemes,” Robinson said. “So, I think for me as a player it helped me a lot just to see how coaches react to players, how coaches run their programs, and run the offenses, defenses — just everywhere around the building.”
Robinson posted on X: NFL Network shared the interview clip Wednesday, writing that “the Kevin Stefanski era in Atlanta is off to a strong start.”
The Kevin Stefanski era in Atlanta is off to a strong start, per @Bijan5Robinson 🤩@Sara_Walsh | @SteveSmithSr89 | @AtlantaFalcons pic.twitter.com/MyNwzD1Ni6
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) August 12, 2026
Robinson was careful to note that none of this has been tested in a real game yet. Still, he pointed to how Stefanski has framed leadership inside the building as a reason for early optimism.
“With Kevin being the guy that we have, he’s been great,” Robinson said. “I know we haven’t played a season game but from what I’ve been seeing so far and how he wants us to be leaders and carry out our leadership and what we’re trying to do for this team is pretty cool. I’m really excited to work with him and I know he’s excited to get out on the field Friday and to start our preseason campaign. It’s cool to see all the guys here accept him and him just lead us the right way.”
The comments come during a significant stretch for Robinson off the field as well. He ended a training camp hold-in last week by agreeing to a three-year extension worth up to $75 million, according to ESPN, making him the highest-paid running back in NFL history. The deal includes $51 million guaranteed, the largest guarantee ever given to a back.
Stefanski inherits an offense already built around Robinson, who led the NFL in yards from scrimmage last season and earned first-team All-Pro honors. He’ll now try to fold that production into a new scheme, with an unsettled quarterback competition between Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa still playing out behind him.
Friday’s game won’t count, but it’s the first chance to see how Stefanski’s version of the Falcons offense actually looks on the field — and whether the early praise from his best player translates once the pads come on for real.
