Falcons' Zac Robinson On Rams QB Matthew Stafford: 'Smartest Guy I've Ever Been Around!'
New Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson has quickly risen through the coaching ranks in just a few short years, largely due to his work with Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Robinson moved back to being the Rams' assistant quarterbacks coach in 2021, the same year Stafford arrived in a blockbuster trade with the Detroit Lions. A year later, Robinson moved up to being the Rams' main quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator, giving him a chance to work even more-closely with Stafford. The two former Lions teammates made for a great duo, that sadly came to an end when Robinson moved to Atlanta last month.
Even with the coach-player duo now broken up, Robinson still maintains a close relationship with Stafford. During his introductory press conference on Wednesday, Robinson raved about Stafford as both a player and a person.
Jun 3, 2022; Thousand Oaks, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) and quarterbacks coach Zac Robinson during organized team activities at California Lutheran University.
Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
"We’re great friends. He is the smartest guy I’ve ever been around," Robinson told reporters. "Knowing what you’ve got to be prepared for as a coach each and every day, knowing he’s going to come in on Wednesday and he’s going to have seen all the film. He’s got a great memory, so you’re going to have to recall every single play that you’ve seen on film that week. He challenges you as a coach in so many ways, in situations.
"Just the collaborative effort that it was with Matthew over the past few years has been awesome... I’ve learned a ton of Matthew and like I said, forever grateful for the time I had with him.”
Stafford, 36, is one of the league's most-respected quarterbacks and one of the few with a Super Bowl to his name, so it's not surprising to hear Robinson speak so highly of him.
The Rams star is also well familiar with the Atlanta area, having previously lived there and played for the Georgia Bulldogs in college. So when Robinson got the Falcons job, Stafford was pumped for his coach to embark on this new opportunity.
"He said he had a house here. He sold it a couple of years ago. He said, ‘I wish I would have kept it so I could’ve sold it to you.’ I said, ‘I wouldn’t have been able to afford it, so I appreciate it.’ I know Kelly, being from here...
"So, I’ve known the area. Been down here a handful of times. But Matthew was like, ‘Hey man, fired up for you. It’s a great city, great place to live, great place to raise a family.’ All of those things are great things about the city of Atlanta.”
