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Commanders RB Brian Robinson says 'surgery went well' after being shot multiple times during attempted carjacking or robbery

ryan young
Staff writer
·5 min read

Washington Commanders rookie running back Brian Robinson Jr. is stable and underwent successful surgery after he was shot multiple times during a possible attempted carjacking or robbery on Sunday, police confirmed, via The Washington Post.

Commanders head coach Ron Rivera told reporters on Monday morning that Robinson is "in a really good place," per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. And Robinson shared a photo on his Instagram from what appears to be a hospital room, writing "Surgery went well! Thanks for all the prayers! God is Great!"

"The doctors were very positive with him and he was very positive as well," Rivera said, via ESPN. "He's very fortunate. He's doing well. It will be a matter of time before he's back out here. There's no timeline, but everything was very positive.

"It's just about the healing process, and once he's well enough to get on the field, doctors have to clear him and we'll go from there. Everything is positive so far."

Robinson was shot twice just before 6 p.m. in Washington, D.C., and was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. According to the NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Robinson was shot in his lower body. Rapoport reported on Monday it was the glute and lower leg and he could be released from the hospital on Monday.

Police are searching for two juvenile suspects. Specific details regarding the alleged carjacking are not yet known.

"We have been made aware that Brian Robinson Jr. was the victim of an attempted armed robbery or carjacking in Washington, D.C.," the team said in a statement. "He sustained non-life-threatening injuries and is currently being treated at the hospital, where team officials are on-site with him. We ask that you please respect Brian's privacy at this time."

The former Alabama standout was selected by Washington in the third round of the draft in April. He racked up a career-high 1,343 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns last season with the Crimson Tide while helping them reach the national title game.

Robinson did not play in Washington’s final preseason game against the Ravens on Saturday. He had 14 carries for 57 yards and one touchdown over their first two preseason games. The 23-year-old was expected to play a significant role in the Commanders' run game this season alongside Antonio Gibson and J.D. McKissic.

Rivera said he had visited Robinson in the hospital on Sunday night too.

A team spokesman told ESPN Commanders team co-owners Dan and Tanya Snyder, president Jason Wright, team physician Dr. Anthony Casolaro and clinical psychologist Dr. Barbara Roberts were also at the hospital with Robinson on Sunday.

Commanders rookie Brian Robinson
Commanders rookie Brian Robinson was shot multiple times in an attempted robbery on Sunday. (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

Rivera, Carson Wentz react to 'sobering' incident

Despite Robinson's injuries, Washington still had to practice on Monday morning — which both Rivera and quarterback Carson Wentz admitted was hard to do.

"It's sobering for sure," Wentz said, via ESPN. "This is real life. Things could have been a lot worse. It takes you away from football real quick. These are real-life issues and we're not immune to it.

"To have moments like that, that are unrelated to football, gives you a sense of reality and makes you understand a much bigger picture and that there are more important things in life."

Though it's different than most, this marked just the latest off-field issue that the Commanders have had to deal with in recent years, too.

That, receiver Terry McLaurin said, has taken a bit of a toll.

"We've learned to take the time and appreciate what's going on and you can't just breeze over it and move past it," McLaurin said, via ESPN. "We're human and it does affect our mental. It shakes your whole day when things like [Robinson's situation] happen, but we also understand we still have to do our job and come out and practice hard and prepare."

Rivera, who said the phone call he received about Robinson on Sunday was "one of the harder ones" he's ever received as a coach, wore an orange shirt advocating for gun safety when he spoke with reporters on Monday.

"It's about education," Rivera said, via ESPN. "If you're going to own a handgun, it's about knowing how to properly secure it so it doesn't get stolen or so the wrong people don't use it and do this.

"This continues to be a nationwide epidemic, gun violence. We have to get to a point where we talk about gun safety. We can't make this a partisan issue. It's something we have to work on to come together and be able to solve."