Eugene Robinson played 11 seasons in the NFL, making three Pro Bowls and winning a Super Bowl.
But the first memory to come to most everyone’s mind is the worst moment of his career, an unthinkable mistake always to be referenced at this time of year.
As the Falcons prepared for the franchise’s first Super Bowl appearance 18 years ago, against the Broncos, Robinson was out in South Florida, getting arrested after attempting to solicit a prostitute, who was an undercover police officer. The next day, Robinson was further humiliated after getting burned by Rod Smith for an 80-yard touchdown, becoming the symbol of Atlanta’s loss. Just before his arrest, Robinson was given the Athletes in Action/Bart Starr Award for his character.
This year, the former defensive back will hear about it more than ever before.
“I can’t be upset because that’s fact and that’s reality. I’m not going to run and hide from it,” Robinson told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “That’s the landscape that I created.”
Robinson, now an analyst for the Panthers Radio Network, said he hopes his mistake helps prevent another one from happening.
“I reminded guys that you worked your entire life to get to this point and you locked arms as brothers and you have one goal,” Robinson said he told the Panthers before last year’s Super Bowl. “I got a chance to play in that game and win that game, but I blew it.’ I told them that.
“I told them, ‘Don’t blow it.’ I told them, ‘Think of the guys on your team even higher than you think of yourself. Let that be your bond. Don’t just think of yourself. Don’t be one of those guys who jeopardizes their chance and makes a mistake.’ I’m proof of that. People are right to reference me. That was the message I wanted to give them.”
Robinson said he still is fond of Atlanta, where he played for two seasons and his sister still lives, and said he is hopeful the Falcons finally can win a Super Bowl after falling far short in their only other appearance.
“I played for them, just like I played for Green Bay and Seattle, so I’m going to root for them,” he said. “I’m excited for them. I’m excited for the city of Atlanta. They absolutely deserve to be there, and it’s going to be a great game. It may be the highest-scoring game of all time. They’ve had a great season and Matt Ryan should be the MVP.”