As the Falcons and Buccaneers prepare to get together for the second time this season, one lingering item of business remains from the last time the two teams played, in Week 7.
That day, rookie running back Bijan Robinson was on the field for 11 snaps with only one touch, despite not being listed on the injury report.
As it turned out, Robinson had an illness that the Falcons did not disclose.
At the time, Robinson said he was “feeling weird” on Saturday night, and that by Sunday morning he was “feeling completely out of it.”
Falcons coach Arthur Smith was flippant and dismissive about the situation when pressed by reporters. However, seven weeks later, the Falcons have not been exonerated.
Per a league source, the situation continues to be under review.
Given the speed with which the league found that the Bengals did not hide quarterback Joe Burrow’s wrist injury, the fact that seven weeks have transpired since Falcons-Buccaneers suggests that something could happen beyond, “Nothing to see here.” The challenge for the NFL becomes balancing the urgency to enforce its rules against the potential liability from gamblers who had placed wagers on Robinson props (total yards, rushing yards, touchdowns, etc.) based on the notion that he was perfectly fine and would have no limitations on his use.