After leading the Washington Commanders in rushing in each of his three NFL seasons, Brian Robinson Jr. started preparing for the 2025 season with the San Francisco 49ers on Monday.
The Commanders traded the former Alabama running back to the 49ers over the weekend for a sixth-round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft.
“I really couldn’t tell you that right now,” Robinson said on Monday when asked why Washington traded him. “The last week or two has been a bit unusual.
“But, you know, nothing changes for me. The same goals I set for myself three, four months ago, it stays the same -- same process, same everything. I expect to do everything that I was expecting to do for myself this year. I expect to continue that even though I’m in a new home.”
Washington coach Dan Quinn was asked the same question. He indicated the Commanders’ depth at running back made Robinson expendable in favor of ball-carriers who fit Washington’s playbook better.
“We knew this was going to be a competitive group, like, all the way back from the very beginning,” Quinn said, “and we certainly wish B-Rob the best with San Francisco in terms of style and fit and all that. All that was a factor, but also the room here, too. …
“We knew, honestly, just the competition of it all. I don’t know about emerging, but we were pretty confident going into the camp what we’d see and how we’d go, so when the opportunity, you know, with (Washington general manager) Adam (Peters) to go that way, that seemed to make the most sense.”
Without Robinson, Washington will be working with veteran third-down back Austin Ekeler, special-teamer Jeremy McNichols, third-year ball-carrier Chris Rodriguez and seventh-round draft pick Bill Croskey-Merritt, a Sidney Lanier High School and Alabama State alumnus.
Robinson had occupied the first line on Washington’s running-back depth chart. He won’t with San Francisco. The 49ers’ top back is Christian McCaffrey, who led the NFL in rushing yards and yards from scrimmage in 2023, but played in only four games in 2024.
“We brought him here to be our two back,” San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said. “I’ve always been a big fan of Brian. Loved him coming out of college. He’s done really well going against him, and we were pumped that he was available and we were pumped that we were able to get him.”
Robinson said he expects to be part of the best running-back pairing in the NFL.
“I see opportunities for myself regardless,” Robinson said. “I know C-Mac’s going to do his thing, and I’m going be ready to do my thing, for sure. Like I told Mr. (John) Lynch, (the 49ers general manager), before I got here. I’m like, ‘Look, I respect, everybody. I respect the room. I respect C-Mac, but I’m a competitor. I come here to compete.’
“I come here, I’m ready to do my thing just as well as Christian’s ready to do his. So my job right now is just to complement him the best way I can, and we going to be the best duo in the league.”
Robinson said the time zone will be a bigger challenge than the 49ers’ playbook.
“The big adjustment for me right now since everything is still fresh is just getting on the time schedule here and trying to create my own routine around the schedule,” Robinson said. “So just learning a new schedule, new time zone and get my sleep schedule together so that I can get on a daily routine that helps me be at my best, so that’s the biggest thing that’s been different for me.”
A prep standout at Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa, Robinson joined the Commanders in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft after running for 1,343 yards and 14 touchdowns and catching 35 passes for 296 yards for Alabama during the 2021 season.
Robinson has run for 2,329 yards and 15 touchdowns on 570 carries and caught 65 passes for 587 yards and five touchdowns in 41 NFL regular-season games. In three playoff contests, he has 129 yards and two touchdowns on 36 carries and four receptions for 22 yards.
“It’s simple,” Robinson said. “The same way I’ve always ran it. Inside and outside zone, just called different. You know, different terminology, obviously, coming from one system to another, but same footwork, same reads, same everything. …
“I’ve been running the ball my whole life, so I’m ready to just plug and play. I came here ready to play, and I want (Shanahan) to be able to use me like that. So whatever run scheme it is, he can throw me in and I’m already ready to execute the plays.”
San Francisco will kick off its 2025 regular-season schedule on Sept. 7 against the Seattle Seahawks.
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at@AMarkG1.
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