3 hours ago
2
Marc RaimondiOct 14, 2025, 02:55 PM ET
- Marc Raimondi's first year covering the Falcons was 2024, but it wasn't his first year at ESPN. He joined the company in 2019 and was a top combat sports reporter. He also covered professional wrestling and wrote the book "Say Hello to the Bad Guys: How Pro Wrestling's New World Order Changed America," which was published by Simon & Schuster in 2025. Raimondi also worked for the New York Post and Newsday, beginning in 2009, covering high school and college sports, plus the NFL, NFL, MLB and NHL.
ATLANTA -- Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson broke off an 81-yard touchdown run on "Monday Night Football" during his team's eventual 24-14 win over the Buffalo Bills at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
It was the longest rushing play anyone has had this season in the NFL. And it prompted a reaction from NBA great LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers.
James posted a compliment on X, stating that Robinson is "so cold."
Robinson said in his postgame news conference that his connection with James goes beyond just the social media shoutout. Robinson is represented by Nicole Lynn of Klutch Sports Group, an agency founded by James' longtime friend and agent Rich Paul, who is also Klutch's CEO.
"That's my dude," Robinson said of James after the victory. "He gives me so much advice and just me being in the Klutch agency and seeing him and getting to talk to him and just enjoy the moments with him, man, it's always a blessing."
Bijan so COLD!!!!!!!!! 🥶
— LeBron James (@KingJames) October 14, 2025Robinson said the interactions he's had with James have been extra special, because the Lakers star is his "favorite athlete."
James' last piece of advice to Robinson: "To try [to] be the best in the league." He's working on it. Robinson currently leads the NFL with 822 yards from scrimmage, despite him having played one fewer game than most other players due to the Falcons' early, Week 5 bye. On Monday, Robinson had a career-high 238 yards from scrimmage, including 170 yards rushing in a performance that made him an MVP candidate.
"I was like, 'Man, I'm going to keep trying every single time,'" Robinson said of how he responded to James. "And he was just saying, 'When you run the football like that, you make it enjoyable for me as a fan, as a spectator to watch.'"
Hoops was definitely on Robinson's mind Monday, as it normally is. Robinson takes inspiration from basketball players known for their ballhandling skills, like Allen Iverson and Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving. After the Bills game, Robinson compared his offensive line to when Stephen Curry gets hot -- the basket looks wide and the Golden State Warriors guard "can't miss."
"And when I find those creases, you got to take advantage of it and you got to make those guys miss tackles and make them not want to be there anymore," Robinson said. "So that's what we did tonight."
The last time Robinson and James saw each other, Robinson said, was at the college football national championship game earlier this year when the two were playfully "bickering." Robinson played at Texas, and James is an Ohio State fan. The Buckeyes beat the Longhorns to make it to the title game.
"When I do get to see him and get to communicate with him, I am obviously like, 'Dang, that's LeBron James,'" Robinson said. "But it's all love at the end of the day."
