After just a week of hold-in, the deal many analysts saw coming is finally here. The Atlanta Falcons have just made Bijan Robinson the highest-paid running back in the league.

To be fair, this deal has been coming to Robinson for quite a while. And since he rushed 93 yards (league-leader) untouched for a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams in a Week 17, 27-24 win, his case became impossible to ignore. Even in an 8-9 campaign that didn’t allow them to reach the playoffs eight years in a row, Robinson’s talent was undeniable.

He rushed for 1,487 yards on 287 carries, hauling in 7 touchdowns in the process. He also established himself as a receiving threat with 820 yards and 4 receiving touchdowns. Now, while his deal can balloon up to $75 million, the base numbers are slightly lower.

Per Spotrac, the 3-year deal is actually worth $66.75 million, with $51 million guaranteed, and an AAV of $22.25 million. This year, Bijan Robinson’s slated to earn a base salary of $1.145 million, alongside a roster bonus of $2.59M. His 2026 cap hit is $6.98M. Even then, his annual average tops Philadelphia Eagles’ Saquon Barkley, whose $20.6M was previously the benchmark for a running back.

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Last month, senior NFL insider Adam Schefter had already predicted Bijan Robinson would get the biggest bag for a running back, while the Detroit Lions’ Jahmyr Gibbs would follow suit. The reports of their respective hold-ins came on the same day, and Schefter noted that “Gibbs will probably want to be right wherever Bijan is.”

While Gibbs is still stuck in negotiations with his team, the Falcons have dropped the hammer first, and now they have one of the league’s best RBs locked in. With a brand new deal, can Bijan Robinson top his 2025 career bests? September’s just around the corner, and we’re about to start finding out.