Former Bears standout WR calls it a career after 11 years and his retirement message included a surprising Aaron Rodgers story
Former Chicago Bears wide receiver Allen Robinson announced his retirement after 11 years, four of which were spent in Chicago.
Former Jacksonville Jaguars second-round pick and 2015 Pro Bowl selection Allen Robinson II announced his retirement from the NFL on Monday, after 11 years in the league.
Four of those 11 years were spent in Chicago with the Bears from 2018-2021. Robinson played a big role in the team’s offensive success during that span, which included two playoff appearances under former head coach Matt Nagy.
“Football gave me more than I could ever imagine,” Robinson said in his official retirement video. “It challenged me, shaped me, humbled me, and rewarded me in ways I will carry for the rest of my life. But every ending makes room for a new beginning. With love and gratitude, Allen Robinson.”
Allen Robinson had a career resurgence with the Chicago Bears after the team took a chance on him
Robinson signed with the Bears in 2018 on a sizable three-year, $42 million contract. It was a massive investment but an even bigger risk for a player coming off a torn ACL with only one 1,000-yard season to his name after four years in Jacksonville.
“That was probably the most adversity I had gone through at that point in time in my football life,” Robinson explained. “I put in my mindset throughout the whole rehab process that I was going to come back a better version of myself. And sure enough, when I went to Chicago, that’s what I did.”
In Allen’s first season with the Bears, off a torn ACL, he recorded 754 yards and four touchdowns. The following two seasons, he eclipsed 1,100 yards each year with 13 touchdowns proving he still had what it takes to play at a high level alongside Alshon Jeffery.
Across four seasons in Chicago, Robinson totaled 293 receptions, 3,561 yards, and 18 receiving touchdowns. His 102-reception season in 2020 is tied for the second-most in franchise history while his 1,250 yards that year ranks seventh.
It’s a shame he never got a second contract with the Bears because he certainly deserved it and lived up to that first contract Chicago took a risk signing him to.
Allen Robinson adds surprising Aaron Rodgers story that fans will have split reactions to
Being a member of the Chicago Bears comes with a responsibility of having a devote hatred of the Green Bay Packers. Robinson understood that and his time in Chicago coincided with Aaron Rodgers’ dominance against the Bears. Despite the rivalry, Robinson couldn’t help but finally get something of his chest when it comes to Rodgers.
“When you’re playing against and competing against a player like Aaron Rodgers, I was able to make plays against Green Bay, he takes notice of that,” Robinson shared. “The real recognize the real. After one of the games, I asked him for his jersey and he joked for the Bears we couldn’t actually swap our jerseys on the field. It had to be sent to him. He gave me his jersey and I told him ‘they’re going to bring you my jersey’ and he looked back and said ‘I better get your jersey.’”
And so, unbeknownst to Bears’ fans, Allen ended up swapping jerseys with Chicago’s biggest rival in franchise history. Bears fans might not like the sound of that, but the fact Robinson shared that story in his retirement video shows how much that moment meant to him during his NFL career. Some things are bigger than a rivalry.
Happy trails to Allen Robinson. You had a great career in Chicago and we wish you the best in your future endeavors.
