Let’s give LA Rams A’Shawn Robinson his due respect

The ideal teammate

The 2021 debut of A’Shawn Robinson was less about individual performance and more about a young man who had adopted the we-not-me mindset that is so crucial to the team. Unfortunately, that is not the type of mindset that splashes headlines.

To learn those types of details, you have to dig deeper. Or luck into a blog site that is willing to do the deep dive for you. For instance, the video press conference cited above provided incredible insight into the type of player that Robinson is. So what might that be?

"“I want to be the best for these guys. I’m not going to go out here and slack and let any of these guys down,” he said. “I don’t want to let AD, Bash, Greg, and Coach Henny (Eric Henderson) and them down. I don’t want to let nobody down on this team. It’s just me doing my job for the team so everyone else can do their job and not have to focus on me not doing my job and not worrying about if I’m going to be overweight or I’m not lifting or not in condition, so just trying to make sure I’m good.”- per A’Shawn Robinson in press conference video"

That was just the tip of the iceberg.

DAWGWORK disciple

Have you a full appreciation of just how good A’Shawn can be? Let’s start with the motivational speech given by All-Pro defensive lineman Aaron Donald in the NFL Championship Game when the Rams were behind:

Okay, a passionate speech from one of the defensive leaders, Aaron Donald. If you only saw that view, you may have missed the most important part. What happens if we view the same passionate speech from another angle?  Just look at the smoldering intensity in the face of A’Shawn Robinson.

At that moment, A’Shawn Robinson was more than a paycheck player for the LA Rams. He was a bonafide disciple of DAWGWORK. The man had paid his dues and was more than happy to continue to do so. But Robinson was never asked to be ‘that guy,’ before. And here he was, standing on the sidelines in a football game in which All-Pro defensive lineman Aaron Donald was straight talking and laying it all on the line. The LA Rams needed the best of everyone. Nobody had asked so much of A’Shawn Robinson before. But there was something about this call to arms.

A’Shawn Robinson found himself at a crossroads. Wither away, and be content to reload for next year. Or step up, and answer the call of his teammates. Show his true quality. What version did you see in Robinson’s smoldering countenance?  You’ll find your answer on the next slide: