Atlanta Falcons star running back Bijan Robinson unexpectedly stirred up a social media storm with a postgame interview. Less than a day after helping the Falcons secure a dramatic 29-28 Thursday Night Football win, Robinson found himself at the center of an unexpected controversy. The reason? A “slip of the tongue” recalling a childhood football game.
The incident happened on an Amazon Prime postgame show, when analyst Richard Sherman compared Robinson’s elusiveness to “backyard football.” In response, Robinson referenced a childhood game using a phrase now widely recognized as a homophobic slur.
NFL Atlanta Falcons' Bijan Robinson refers to the backyard game of "Smear the queer"… the TNF crew tries to deflect it to "kill the carrier" pic.twitter.com/u2S7MRkWPL
— Brian Kennedy (@Brian_Kennedy) December 12, 2025
The clip went viral almost immediately, prompting Robinson to issue a swift apology. On X (formerly Twitter), he wrote, “Hey everyone, I want to apologise for the insensitive comment I made in the broadcast. It was a football game we used to play as a kid, but that’s not an excuse. I recognise the mistake and will do better. It was not reflective of my beliefs and I am so sorry to those I offended.”
Hey everyone I want to apologize for the insensitive comment I made in the broadcast, it was a football game we used to play as a kid but that’s not an excuse. I recognize the mistake and make sure to do better in the future. It was not reflective of my beliefs and I am so sorry…
— Bijan Robinson (@Bijan5Robinson) December 12, 2025
Reactions on social media were split between criticism and humor. Some fans argued Robinson was being held to unrealistic standards. One X user simply wrote, “Don’t have to apologize bro.”
don’t have to apologize bro
— 𝙅𝙪𝙨𝙈𝙚 (@JusMe___) December 12, 2025
Others chimed in with support, saying, “You’re still the goat”
You’re still the goat 🐐
— Rise Up Bijan (@RiseUpReader) December 12, 2025
Meaning Robinson remains a legend in their eyes despite the slip.
A smaller but vocal group questioned why Robinson felt comfortable using the phrase at all, noting that childhood habits don’t excuse today’s national broadcast missteps.
Off the field, Robinson and the Falcons, already eliminated from playoff contention, are focusing on finishing their remaining three games. This incident may make him more cautious in future media appearances. For now, his apology seems to have satisfied most supporters while reminding everyone that “every word has a limit, even during game-time moments.”
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