Commanders' Brian Robinson Talks Gunshot Recovery: 'I Knew I Was Lucky to Be Alive'

Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson wrote in a post on the team's website that he knew he was "lucky to be alive" after he was shot twice in the right leg in August 2022 during an attempted robbery and carjacking.

Not only did Robinson survive, but he was able to return to the team in October, eventually rushing for 797 yards and two touchdowns across 12 games in an impressive rookie season, given the circumstances.

But at the time, Robinson didn't know if he would ever play again:

"We're talking about gunshots. People die from gunshots. One shot. Anywhere. It can be in the strangest place on your body, and you can die from it. So, to take two, there's no way I can think that I'm not blessed to make it out of there. I still felt that disappointment right before the doctor told me the results, but I was also trying to stay positive about what could happen. Then he told me that there had been no structural damage, and I just felt relieved. I still didn't know how well that would go for me at the time, but I did have some moment of relief. At least I'd be able to walk again. At least I'd be able to run again."

"Hopefully, I'd be able to return and play ball again."

Robinson wrote that it took him less than a week for him to decide that he was going to do everything he could to play again. With the support of his family, teammates and Washington's coaching and training staffs he not only returned, but served as the team's starting running back last season, a role he'll reprise in 2023.

And he's expecting to have an even better season than his debut.

"I feel night and day from like last year," he told reporters Monday. "There wasn't one time I felt like Brian Robinson, so that's night and day from then to now. People should expect a lot great things to come when you compare all the things I did while I was limping around all year last year."

Washington has a solid slate of running backs, with Antonio Gibson combining with Robinson to give the team a solid one-two punch. But Robinson clearly has big things in mind for his 2023 season, and adding more dimensions to his game is high on the priority list.

"I just don't want to be one-dimensional and I don't want to be just a power back: I want to be able to run routes, run down the field, catch the ball with soft hands and continue to grow my game," he said. "[There are] no limits on what I can do."

His recovery last season was proof of that.