FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Bijan Robinson was a world traveler this offseason, visiting places such as Japan, Dubai and Germany. One of the most profound trips, though, was a domestic one to Brooklyn, New York.
Robinson and Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris flew together to watch a boxing match between Gervonta "Tank" Davis and Lamont Roach at Barclays Center. It was a rare chance for the star running back to get that kind of one-on-one time with his coach during a busy offseason.
Morris grew up in New Jersey and played football at Hofstra University on Long Island, so he brought along some old friends and Robinson.
"It was sick, man," Robinson said Monday after a Falcons practice. "Me and [Morris] got to bond, and he got to know who I was more as a person, as I did him.
"And I'm going to tell you, I have a cool friend group, I think. But he has them dudes [that] are wild. They're super funny, they're super, super sweet people. But you can tell when they're together it's all jokes, endless jokes. And then you can just tell that they all grew up together. So that love is always there, and it's just cool to see where he came from and who he is."
The trip was a way for Morris to connect better with Robinson, who has an expressed interest in becoming more of a leader this season.
Robinson, 23, rounded into one of the best running backs in football last season. In his second year in the NFL, Robinson was third in rushing yards (1,456) and tied for the third-most rushing touchdowns (14). What people with the Falcons would rather talk about, though, is who Robinson is as a human being.
"I think Bijan makes everybody better around him as a person, as a leader," Pro Bowl right guard Chris Lindstrom said. "If you're having a bad day, Bijan is putting a smile on your face. If you need a pick me up, he's there to give you a hug. So, he's special in that sense."
Morris said Robinson's leadership has grown from just the running back room to the whole offense, including to second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr., and now to the rest of the team. That has extended to the coaching staff, as well.
"We were able to do different things off the field," Morris said. "He's come by my house, he's met my children. ... We got a chance to actually go watch [the fight] and be a part of that and see that stuff together. He got a chance to meet some of my lifelong friends, and he fit right in and was able to be around a bunch of old people and watch the fight and have a bunch of fun."
On the field, if there's one thing Robinson is focused on it's more explosive plays. Of the top five players in rushing yards last season, Robinson had the fewest runs of 20 or more yards (5) and zero runs of 40 or more yards. Comparatively speaking, Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, who led the league in rushing (2,005 yards), had 17 runs of 20 or more yards and seven that eclipsed the 40-yard mark.
Robinson said he has been doing more drills focusing on explosion and has been sprinting 100 yards in preparation for a year with more long runs.
"We are all waiting for that Saquon type of season for when it comes to explosives," Robinson said. "But I've been working on it a lot this offseason and obviously when it gets to the season, it's time to go show it and go do the work the right way."
Robinson knows full well he has Morris -- and now a bunch of Morris' longtime friends -- in his corner.
"It's huge," Robinson said. "If you can build chemistry with your coach and if he can obviously create trust in you on and off the field, I mean, that's huge for you as a player."