'Thunder & Lightning': Inside Falcons RBs Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier's Relationship
When the Atlanta Falcons selected running back Bijan Robinson at No. 8 overall in April's draft, many quickly pondered the implications it would have for Tyler Allgeier, who broke the franchise's rookie rushing record with 1,035 yards last season.
But lost in the dynamic is the frequency with which the Falcons run the ball, as coach Arthur Smith's offense averaged 33 attempts per game in 2022, among the top marks in the league.
Toss in Smith's intent on lining up Robinson in different spots, and the vision of Atlanta having a young two-headed monster at running back quickly emerges.
But perhaps most importantly, the 21-year-old Robinson and 23-year-old Allgeier are selfless, high-character individuals; there's no entitlement or concern about how they'll handle splitting the workload.
Words are one thing, but how about actions? Consider Allgeier, who went from healthy scratch in Week 1 to one of the offense's most important pieces by season's end ... and didn't hesitate to welcome Robinson to the family.
"I shot him a text right when he got drafted," Allgeier said, via Fox5's Kelly Price, "and then it was like a day after, we ended up FaceTiming."
Allgeier's takeaway of Robinson? It all starts with character.
"Great guy," said Allgeier. "He's obviously a great player on the field, but great player off the field. That's the biggest thing for me - great guy."
Drafted in the fifth round out of BYU last year, Allgeier closed his rookie campaign on a tear, topping career-highs in carries in each of the final four games, taking 79 attempts for 431 yards and two touchdowns while adding six receptions for 52 yards during that span.
It was simply the cherry on top of a debut season that topped all expectations for the draft's No. 151 overall pick, and nobody would've batted an eye if he'd been given the reigns as Atlanta's top runner in 2023.
But rather than being content with just Allgeier and veteran Cordarrelle Patterson, the Falcons wanted more, in part because Smith's offense is so predicated on having versatile playmakers and running the rock.
So, why Robinson? Smith feels he complements Allgeier well, even if both are "yards after contact players," citing the point that they go about it in completely different ways.
"Tyler is like someone that's got a sledgehammer and wears you down," Smith said. "But Bijan, his contact balance, the way he doesn't go down and the way he's able to get explosives off that, they're just different, the way that people will have to tackle them."
Smith started this offseason with the goal of adding explosiveness on the offensive side of the ball; dogfights are to be expected in the NFL, but finding ways to consistently score points and increase the pressure on opposing offenses helps avoid close contests as much as possible.
By adding Robinson, the Falcons took a big step towards accomplishing that ... but still remain focused on building their smash-mouth identity.
Not to be lost in the "explosive" discussion is that Robinson brings quite a bit of physicality in his own right; he collected 1,017 yards after contact at Texas, per Pro Football Focus.
Robinson's been billed as one of the best running back prospects in recent memory, in part because of his unique blend of big-play potential and ability to create his own yards.
And yet, he remains humble and level-headed ... and is particularly excited to be working alongside and learning under Allgeier for years to come.
"Tyler, that boy's a dog at running back," Robinson said. "I can't wait to talk to him and learn from him and build a relationship with him just because that dude's a beast. I really enjoyed watching him run the ball last year and hopefully I can be a great teammate and learn as much as I can from him."
Sure, Robinson and Allgeier are competitors who want the ball ... but there's absolutely no animosity between them. Better yet, there's a budding friendship, and considering each player's personalities, it's not difficult to see why.
Now comes the fun part - putting together the on-field product, where Smith gets the task of maximizing the skill sets of the talented duo.
But Allgeier already sees the plan ... to the extent that he's resorted to the age-old adage of nicknames to describe what he and Robinson will bring to the field this fall.
"Thunder and lightning type," said Allgeier. "It's exciting, exciting times. But the running back position, the quarterback, we can't do anything without the offensive line. We're just excited for all those pieces to come together and this offense be explosive."
What else could Allgeier have used but explosive? That was Smith's goal from the start, and his young weapons certainly feel as if that's been accomplished.
And with the thundering "sledgehammer" that is Allgeier pairing the explosive lightning bolt in Robinson, it's easy to see the potential ... and the likelihood of which the two can feed off one another.
You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Falcons? Click Here.
Follow Falcon Report on Twitter.
Want even more Atlanta Falcons news? Check out the Si.com team page here
