Brian Robinson's Knee Swelling Down a Lot After Shooting, Commanders' Rivera Says

Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera provided an encouraging update on rookie running back Brian Robinson.

Rivera said Wednesday on the The Don Geronimo Show (via the Washington Post's Nicki Jhabvala) the swelling in Robinson's knee has lessened "an awful lot." The 23-year-old no longer needs crutches either.

Robinson was shot multiple times Aug. 28 during an attempted robbery. He was briefly hospitalized and released one day after the shooting.

The Commanders placed Robinson on the reserve/non-football injury list to open the 2022 regular season. As a result, he will miss at least Washington's first four games and could debut in Week 5 against the Tennessee Titans.

Speaking with reporters Monday, Rivera remained vague about when Robinson will be cleared to return, saying he'll have to complete a "number of steps" before it happens.

"As he goes through this process, the timeline in terms of his daily workout schedule and recovery schedule will change," Rivera told reporters.

Only two days after the shooting, Robinson returned to the Commanders' practice facility. Rivera thought it provided an emotional lift for his teammates because "they could see he was OK" and that "really kind of put a lot of their minds at ease."

The Commanders selected Robinson with the No. 98 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft. He ran for 1,343 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior with Alabama in 2021.