Monday marked exactly nine months since Jacksonville Jaguars running back James Robinson suffered an Achilles tear in Week 16 of the 2021 season. You wouldn’t be able to tell by the way Robinson played this month when he scored four touchdowns in the first three games of the season.
“It’s pretty special and remarkable what both of those guys (Robinson and Travis Etienne), but James in particular, has done and gotten himself back in a position to help this football team,” Pederson said Monday. “Two weeks in a row, two long runs and touchdowns, and that’s special to see.
“We saw what he [could do] when we got him in there in training camp towards the end and what he was capable of doing. I think it sort of opened our eyes as a staff that this is the guy we saw on tape a year ago. [We’ve been] watching him and evaluating him and just seeing how, not only explosive, but tough of a runner he is.”
Robinson, 24, caught the NFL’s attention as an undrafted rookie when he tallied 446 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns in his first four games as a pro.
But even as he racked up 2,403 yards from scrimmage and 18 total touchdowns in his first two seasons, Robinson never broke free for a touchdown longer than 17 yards. On Week 2, he set a new personal best with a 37-yard touchdown and a week later he topped it with a 50-yarder against the Los Angeles Chargers.
This just in: @Robinson_jamess is good at football.#JAXvsLAC on CBS pic.twitter.com/OGbfWq7Vlg
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) September 25, 2022
Robinson has shown off the vision and strength between the tackles that made him a quick star for Jacksonville. He’s also shown that he’s more than healthy enough to get going at top speed, as the 19.74 miles per hour he hit on his touchdown Sunday was the fastest of any Jaguars player on the day.
After three weeks, Robinson is ninth in the NFL in rushing yards with 230 and tied for first in the league in touchdowns.