Free agent fullback Michael Robinson thinks he will remain unsigned and is preparing to move into a television career after an eight-year NFL run that included a Super Bowl championship with the Seahawks.
“There really isn’t a market for 31-year fullbacks headed into their ninth year in the league,” Robinson told statecollege.com, a fan site for his alma mater, Penn State, over the weekend. “Economically speaking, I understand that. I’m going to give myself a little time after the draft to let teams see how their rosters shake out. After seeing what happens, I’m probably going to call it a career.
“I’m treating my broadcast career as if I am not going to play any more. And if I do get a call from a team, then I’m counting that as a bonus.”
A quarterback at Penn State, Robinson was switched to fullback when he signed with San Francisco, where he spent his first four years. He was cut by the 49ers and the Seahawks picked him up.
Even though in four years he totaled only 30 rushes and 32 receptions, Robinson was a vital blocker in the NFL’s top rushing offense, and played on special teams. He missed the first four games of the season after an allergic reaction to prescription drugs for an illness in August caused him to be hospitalized twice with life-threatening consequences.
He returned and played in nine games with three starts in 2013.
Nearly as important, he was Beast whisperer for RB Marshawn Lynch, whose reluctance to do interviews was often mitigated by the presence of the media-savvy Robinson. During the Super Bowl’s week of media obligations, Robinson was almost always near Lynch in public, helping answer or deflect questions until Lynch could find daylight.
Robinson, who has a pair of communications degrees from Penn State, has been working his offseasons in preparation for a career in front of the camera. He’s done work for ESPN and NFL Network shows and and has done the Real Rob Report, a frequent video show taking viewers inside the locker room and other team functions.
He also appeared in an episode the longtime CBS soap opera, “The Young and the Restless.” A second will air May 19.
Seahawks Free Agent Tracker
| Date | Player | Action | Skinny |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/7 | OL L. Jeanpierre | Re-signed | 16 games, 3 starts |
| 3/7 | S Jeron Johnson | Re-signed | Joined as undrafted FA in 2011 |
| 3/10 | DE Michael Bennett | Re-signed | 4 years, $16M guaranteed |
| 3/11 | TE Anthony McCoy | Re-signed | Didn’t play in ’13 (Achilles injury) |
| 3/11 | DT C. McDonald | Signed-TB | 4 years, $12 million |
| 3/11 | LB O. Schofield | Signed-NYG (voided) | 2 years, $8 million |
| 3/12 | S Chris Maragos | Signed-PHI | 3 years, $1M guaranteed |
| 3/12 | WR Golden Tate | Signed-DET | 5 years, $13M guaranteed |
| 3/12 | DT Tony McDaniel | Re-signed | 2 years, $6.3 million |
| 3/12 | RT Breno Giacomini | Signed-NYJ | 4 years, $18 million |
| 3/13 | QB Tarvaris Jackson | Re-signed | Played 3 games in 2013 |
| 3/14 | CB Brandon Browner | Signed-NE | 3 years, $17 million |
| 3/15 | CB Walter Thurmond | Signed-NYG | 1 year, $3.5 million |
| 3/17 | K Steven Hauschka | Re-signed | 3 years, $9.15 million |
| 3/24 | OL Paul McQuistan | Signed-CLE | 2 years,$3 million, $750K guar. |
| 4/4 | TE Kellen Davis | Signed-NYG | Signed one-year deal with Giants |
Seahawks Cuts / Restructures
| Date | Player | Action | Skinny |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/28 | WR Sidney Rice | Re-signed | Saved $7.3 million in cap space |
| 3/11 | DE Red Bryant | Signed-JAX | 4 years, $17 million |
| 3/12 | DE Chris Clemons | Signed-JAX | 4 years, $17.5 million |
| 3/15 | TE Zach Miller | Restructured | Base of $3M, down from $5.8 M |
Unsigned Seahawks Free Agents
| Player | Pos. | Age | Skinny |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doug Baldwin | WR | 26 | 50 receptions, 778 yards, 5 TDs (restricted FA) |
| Michael Robinson | FB | 31 | Will retire if no offers |
Free Agents Signed By Seahawks
| Date | Player | Pos. | From | Skinny |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3/12 | Taylor Price | WR | JAX | 26-year-old injured last two years |
| 3/20 | Stephen Schilling | OG | SD | Bellevue High, U. of Michigan grad |
| 3/27 | Phillip Adams | CB | Oak | 25-yeaar-old inked to one-year deal |
| 4/3 | Jorgen Hus | LS | None | UFA did not play in 2013 season |
2 Comments
So glad he got well enough last season to claim his rightful spot on the team and then his ring! If he weren’t headed for media stardom, I think he’d make an excellent coach.
Cheers, Mike Rob! Not even Richard Sherman could say he’s better at life than you.
I’m a huge fan of Mike Rob. Personally, I think a good offseason should be able to get him up to the condition he was in his Pro Bowl season. He had some major health issues last season but he’s right that the NFL is a young man’s league. Hope for success in wherever his career path takes him!