A’Shawn Robinson took off. The Panthers defensive lineman’s motor was churning.
After trying to rush inside against Miami Dolphins center Aaron Brewer and left guard Jonah Savaiinaea on third-and-5, Robinson spun around a blocked D.J. Wonnum and surged toward quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Robinson, like a train headed down the tracks, sped up to the 6-foot-1, 225-pound left-handed QB and threw him into the ground with the help of Wonnum and rookie Nic Scourton for a sack.
Robinson’s takedown of Tagovailoa forced the Dolphins to punt with 1:54 left in the first half. The Panthers’ offense, in turn, would end up adding to its miraculous comeback mission with a late field goal to end the half. Carolina ended up winning the game, 27-24, partially because of the defensive line’s resurgence, which was led by Robinson and Pro Bowl defensive end Derrick Brown.
The defensive front produced a season-high three sacks — including one from Robinson and one from Brown — and held the Dolphins’ rushing attack to 19 yards on 14 carries.
Robinson, who was named an honorary fourth captain for the game, produced three tackles (two for loss) and a 10-yard sack on the afternoon. Despite playing an interior line position, he leads the Panthers over the past two seasons with 6.5 sacks in 21 games with Carolina.
Robinson’s honorary captain moniker wasn’t just for show. The 10-year veteran from Fort Worth, Texas and who played collegiately at Alabama, has been a steady leader throughout his two-year tenure in Charlotte. People in the building have taken notice.
“When things get a little hairy on Sundays, he’s kind of the calming factor in our group,” defensive line coach Todd Wash told The Observer on Thursday.
Head coach Dave Canales and defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero have both voluntarily mentioned his importance in the locker room and on the field since he arrived.
When Brown went down with a season-ending meniscus injury in Week 1 of last season, Robinson — who signed a three-year, $22.5 million deal in 2024 — was the first one to step up behind-the-scenes and in the trenches.
Wash, a former defensive coordinator, has seen the effectiveness of Robinson’s leadership.
With younger linemen like rookie Cam Jackson, Jaden Crumedy, LaBryan Ray and Bobby Brown still developing, Robinson’s influence has made a noticeable mark in their growth.
“He really tries to help the younger guys with how they prepare, and more importantly, how they prepare their bodies,” Wash said. “A’Shawn is very big into that stuff: nutrition and all that stuff that he does to play this long at that level. He’s a great leader in our room all the way across the board.”
The Panthers are in the midst of a youth movement throughout their roster. The team has 12 rookies and all of them played on Sunday in the comeback win at Bank of America Stadium.
Robinson is among the veterans those young players can turn to in the middle of a game or in the classroom during the work week. He isn’t afraid to share information or correct a teammate on an aspect of the game plan.
While he’s clearly good at leading by example, his voice has plenty of merit within the confines of the defensive line room, too.
“He’s a verbal guy,” Wash said. “When things pop up and we start talking, he’s usually one of the first ones to chime in and kind of say, ‘This is what Coach is talking about,’ so forth and so on. But he’s definitely a vocal leader in our room.”