When Amik Robertson joined the Detroit Lions in free agency last March, it was clear he was a perfect fit for the team’s culture.
Robertson quickly made his mark, ultimately becoming the Lions’ primary slot corner before shifting outside after Carlton Davis suffered a broken jaw. His standout performance in Week 18, where he shut down Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson, played a crucial role in the Lions securing the No. 1 seed.
However, the Lions’ Divisional Round loss to the Washington Commanders took a turn for the worse early on when Robertson broke his arm on just the second defensive play. With Robertson out, the secondary struggled to contain Washington’s passing attack, ultimately contributing to their defeat.
In the aftermath of the Lions’ surprising playoff exit as the NFC’s top seed, the team has faced heavy criticism. Robertson spoke to Shannon Person of TMZ Sports, offering praise for the team’s former defensive coordinator, Aaron Glenn, who is now the head coach of the New York Jets. However, Robertson made it clear he’s aware of the backlash the Lions have been receiving, especially following their early playoff departure, and he had a message for the critics.
“At the end of the day, man, all this is going to hit full circle,” Robertson said. “Man, as mad and as much anger and fire as I got in me because I couldn’t finish out the game — and that I wasn’t injured — I’m not going to bring up injuries and say injuries were an excuse, It wasn’t the reason that we lost and couldn’t get over that hump, but we’ll be back. We’ll be back healthy, and just know we’re keeping all the receipts. So it is okay when you fail and you see people doubting you. That’s how I came up. That was my fuel to my fire—doubt. So we’ll be back. It is all good, but we’re definitely keeping the receipts.”
Robertson made it clear that while injuries were not an excuse, the Lions were hit hard by them throughout the season, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. The team’s mounting absences made it difficult to overcome in the playoff loss. As expected, Robertson had a bold message for anyone doubting the Lions’ future.
