Dunta Robinson
Encyclopedia
Willie Dunta Robinson is an American football
cornerback
for the Atlanta Falcons
. He was drafted by the Houston Texans
10th overall in the 2004 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at South Carolina
.
in Athens, Georgia
and was a three-sport standout in football, basketball
, and track
. As a senior, on defense
, he had four interceptions and eight passes defensed
. On offense
, he rushed for six touchdowns, and ran back a punt
and a kickoff
for touchdowns.
10th overall in the 2004 NFL Draft
. He immediately became a starter, starting all 16 games at right cornerback for the Texans his rookie season, recording 87 tackles and six interceptions. During the 2008 season, Robinson became the all-time Texans' interception leader passing Aaron Glenn with 13 career picks.
On February 19, 2009, Robinson became the first Texan in franchise history to be given the franchise tag
. Upset at receiving the tag, Robinson subsequently sat out all of Texans training camp before finally signing a one-year, $9.957 million tender a week before the 2009 NFL season began. In the Texans' first game against the New York Jets
, Robinson's shoes bore the message "PAY ME RICK," directed at Texans' General Manager Rick Smith. Robinson was fined $25,000 by the NFL for wearing the shoes.
worth $57 million with $22.5 million in guaranteed money. According to NFL.com journalist Steve Wyche, it is the 2nd highest contract for a corner back in NFL history (only behind Nnamdi Asomugha
).
Robinson was fined $50,000 for an illegal hit on a defenseless player when he hit Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson on October 17, 2010, in Philadelphia.
On September 18, 2011, Robinson made another illegal helmet-to-helmet hit on Eagles receiver Jeremy Maclin. The NFL fined him $40,000.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
for the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He was drafted by the Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
10th overall in the 2004 NFL Draft
2004 NFL Draft
The 2004 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24-25, 2004 at the theater at Madison Square Garden...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at South Carolina
South Carolina Gamecocks football
The South Carolina Gamecocks football team represents the University of South Carolina in NCAA Division I college football. The Gamecocks have been a member of the Southeastern Conference since 1992. Steve Spurrier is the current head coach, and the team plays its home games at Williams-Brice...
.
Early years
Robinson attended Clarke Central High SchoolClarke Central High School
Clarke Central High School is located in Athens, Georgia. The school was created in 1970 by the merger of two high schools, Athens High School and Burney-Harris High School , as a result of desegregation....
in Athens, Georgia
Athens, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...
and was a three-sport standout in football, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
. As a senior, on defense
Defense (sport)
In many team sports, defense or defence is the action of preventing an opponent from scoring. The term may also refer to the tactics involved in defense, or a sub-team whose primary responsibility is defense...
, he had four interceptions and eight passes defensed
Pass deflected
In American football a pass deflected, also known as a pass defended, a pass defensed, a pass knock down, or a pass break up, is an incomplete pass that is caused by a defensive player...
. On offense
Offense (sports)
In sports, offense or offence , also known as attack, is the action of attacking or engaging an opposing team with the objective of scoring points or goals...
, he rushed for six touchdowns, and ran back a punt
Punt (football)
In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....
and a kickoff
Kickoff (American football)
A kickoff is a method of starting a drive in American football and Canadian football. Typically, a kickoff consists of one team – the "kicking team" – kicking the ball to the opposing team – the "receiving team"...
for touchdowns.
Houston Texans
Robinson was drafted by the Houston TexansHouston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
10th overall in the 2004 NFL Draft
2004 NFL Draft
The 2004 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24-25, 2004 at the theater at Madison Square Garden...
. He immediately became a starter, starting all 16 games at right cornerback for the Texans his rookie season, recording 87 tackles and six interceptions. During the 2008 season, Robinson became the all-time Texans' interception leader passing Aaron Glenn with 13 career picks.
On February 19, 2009, Robinson became the first Texan in franchise history to be given the franchise tag
Franchise Tag
In the National Football League, the franchise tag is a designation a team may apply to a player scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. The tag binds the player to the team for one year if certain conditions are met. Each team has access each year to only one franchise tag and one...
. Upset at receiving the tag, Robinson subsequently sat out all of Texans training camp before finally signing a one-year, $9.957 million tender a week before the 2009 NFL season began. In the Texans' first game against the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Robinson's shoes bore the message "PAY ME RICK," directed at Texans' General Manager Rick Smith. Robinson was fined $25,000 by the NFL for wearing the shoes.
Atlanta Falcons
On March 5, 2010, as a unrestricted free agent, Robinson signed a six-year contract with the Atlanta FalconsAtlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
worth $57 million with $22.5 million in guaranteed money. According to NFL.com journalist Steve Wyche, it is the 2nd highest contract for a corner back in NFL history (only behind Nnamdi Asomugha
Nnamdi Asomugha
Nnamdi Asomugha is an American cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He was drafted in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders and played college football for the Golden Bears at the University of California, Berkeley...
).
Robinson was fined $50,000 for an illegal hit on a defenseless player when he hit Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson on October 17, 2010, in Philadelphia.
On September 18, 2011, Robinson made another illegal helmet-to-helmet hit on Eagles receiver Jeremy Maclin. The NFL fined him $40,000.