- Slug: Sports-Bijan Robinson Homecoming, 1,090 words.
- 2 photos available.
By Bennett Silvyn
Cronkite News
GLENDALE – In the heart of the Arizona desert, where the sunsets paint the sky with shades of orange and red, a hometown hero is poised to make a triumphant return to the gridiron. The name Bijan Robinson had become synonymous with electrifying speed and boundless talent in Arizona, and Sunday, his story is set to come full circle as he prepares to make his grand return to the state that watched him grow from a local sensation to the No. 8 pick in April’s NFL draft.
Robinson’s journey began in the sun-soaked streets of Tucson, where he first laced up his cleats and chased his dream of making it to the NFL. Before busting into the national scene, it was clear the potential that Robinson had.
“The first time I thought we was going to be great was in middle school during eighth grade with the pee-wee all-stars team that had the top players in every state compete in Florida,” high school teammate Conner Witthoft said.”The first practice everyone was asking if I had heard of Bijan and I hadn’t yet. When practice first began I saw a kid standing in a Broncos number five jersey who was 5-10 and extremely jacked, there was no way he should’ve been that big at such a young age. During the whole practice nobody could tackle him, Bijan just weaves around everybody like he was playing against kindergartners.”
Robinson took the country by storm when he stepped foot on the field for Salpointe Catholic High School with electrifying runs that enthralled all who came to watch Robinson from across the country.
“Hard work works,” emphasized former Salpointe running back coach Zachary Neveleff to Robinson during his freshman season. The tireless commitment to perfecting his craft and willingness to go the extra mile set him on the path to greatness.
Continue reading “From Salpointe Catholic to the NFL: Arizona’s own Bijan Robinson returns for homecoming matchup against Cardinals”