Longtime NFL receiver Allen Robinson announced his retirement with a sudden social media post on his birthday just a few weeks before the 2026 season kicks off
Allen Robinson
Allen Robinson spent four seasons with the Chicago Bears(Image: Getty Images)
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11-year NFL receiver Allan Robinson didn't play in 2025 and wasn't with a team in training camp. The former second-round pick took to Instagram on Monday — his 33rd birthday — and officially announced his retirement.
Robinson starred for the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Chicago Bears earlier in his career before latching on with the Super Bowl favorite Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Detroit Lions later in his career. The one-time Pro Bowler tied for the NFL lead in touchdown receptions in 2015, Robinson's second year in the league.
His announcement came in a nine-minute video posted across social media as well as a touching Instagram post.
"As I reflect on another year of life, I find myself especially grateful; not just for where I am, but for the journey that brought me here. This birthday feels a little different. It marks not only another year, but the beginning of a new chapter,” Robinson wrote.
"To every love story, there comes a final chapter," he added. "Football gave me more than I ever could've imagined. It challenged me, shaped me, humbled me, and rewarded me in ways I'll carry for the rest of my life.
"I came, I saw, I conquered, and I leave with nothing but gratitude.....The memories, the relationships, the victories, the lessons, they'll stay with me forever! Thank you for every moment, every cheer, every lesson, and every opportunity."
In his 11 years, Robinson caught 565 passes for 7,058 receiving yards and 43 touchdowns. He played in 139 total games from 2014 to 2024.
Allen Robinson
Allen Robinson's best season came with Blake Bortles and the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2015(Image: Getty Images)
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The Jaguars took him in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft out of Penn State, where he caught 177 passes for 2,479 yards and 17 touchdowns in three years.
He was a favorite target of quarterback Blake Bortles, catching 80 passes for 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2015. However, Robinson was hurt in 2017 and missed the team's run to the AFC Championship Game.
He signed a lucrative free agent deal with the Bears in free agency and produced consecutive 1,000+ yard seasons in 2019 and 2020 before signing with the Rams ahead of the 2022 campaign.
Robinson didn't live up to his three-year, $46.5 million deal in Los Angeles and was traded after one season to Pittsburgh, where he also underwhelmed. His last NFL game came as a member of the Detroit Lions in 2024.