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Arizona Cardinals second-year defensive lineman Darius Robinson was almost Dickensian Wednesday when putting into words what his first season in the NFL was like.
He said simply, “Last year was like the hardest year of my life, but then it was the best year of my life in the same year. So I definitely felt the lowest, but I also felt the highest and I'm ready to get back to the highest point. And I know that it takes a lot of hard work. So I'm just super excited for this year.”
The highs, of course, began in April when the Cardinals selected him in the first round of the draft with the 27th overall pick. It continued during offseason work and training camp, a time he described as “hot.”
However, it all came crashing down when he suffered a calf injury on Aug. 22 and continued through a difficult rehab process that included the death of his mom Valori in October.
When he finally got on the field for the final six games of the season, that “hot” feeling in camp was now “just cool.” But he learned from it.
“At my lowest, I kept showing up each day, I kept fighting in the pursuit of my dreams,” Robinson said. “And I realize, it can't get worse than that. So honestly, just keep putting one foot in front of another and just go. Just really enjoy this. It's a blessing being here.”
Being here was preceded by some time in Michigan where he was able to reflect on the previous nine months. Asked about an offseason reset after what he went through last season, Robinson said, “Yeah, it was a lot. Going back to Michigan, taking care of some family stuff, trying to get closure with everything with my mom. But also thinking about this season and just replaying; I only played six games but just constantly rethinking about those six games and thinking about what I need to do to make that next jump in my game.
“I feel like in training camp, it was hot. The table was hot, everybody, it was hot. And coming back, it was just cool. So I gotta find a way to; we're in Phoenix, I gotta get it hot again.”
Head coach Jonathan Gannon was asked before the first OTA practice Wednesday what he expects from Robinson.
“I think all our guys, it's, let's see where they can go,” Gannon said. “And him being one of them. He's worked extremely hard this offseason. He looks good. He's ready to go. He wants to get on the grass and play football. So I think that's all of our guys and you're never a finished product. You're either getting better, or you're getting worse, whatever that means. It’s kind of cliche, but it's probably true.
“So our guys are just looking to maximize themselves and get better as football players.”
As for Robinson making the oft-discussed jump from Year 1 to Year 2, Gannon emphatically said, “He’ll make that jump.”
Robinson was just as emphatic in agreement, saying, “I think this jump from Year 1 to Year 2 is gonna be huge. So I'm just excited to compete and just put it on tape.”
A big man already, Robinson is noticeably stronger in the upper body just as second-year receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is. Asked about the offseason work he put in, Robinson said, “Just buying into it, realizing like every day I got 24 hours and what am I gonna do to make the most out of it? I feel like I got a lot to prove this year. So we just come in like seven or eight (in the morning) and leave at like 12 or 1.
“Me, Marvin, a bunch of the rookies, a bunch of guys in the building. So it’s just grinding into it. And that's been fun all offseason, but we gotta keep going and just keep building our bodies, get strong, get fast, and get better. So I'm super excited.”
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This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Arizona Cardinals DL Darius Robinson learned from a difficult 2024
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