Retirement Announcement

Allen Robinson II announced his retirement from the NFL on Monday, his 33rd birthday, via an Instagram video and post. The announcement came after an 11-season career that saw him play for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Detroit Lions.

In his Instagram post, Robinson wrote, "To every love story, there comes a final chapter. Football gave me more than I ever could’ve imagined. It challenged me, shaped me, humbled me, and rewarded me in ways I’ll carry for the rest of my life." He also shared, "I came, I saw, I conquered and I leave with nothing but gratitude."

Robinson had been contemplating retirement for some time. In March 2025, he told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, "I wanted to look back and have no regrets. And that's kind of where I'm at with it is that I don't have (any). I've put everything I've had into this game." He also said he was "taking time to evaluate" his future, considering his family and the possibility of finishing Season 11.

Career Highlights and Journey

A second-round pick by the Jaguars in the 2014 NFL Draft out of Penn State, Robinson spent his first four seasons in Jacksonville. He had a standout second season in 2015, amassing 1,400 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns—a mark that led the league that year—and earned his only Pro Bowl selection.

In 2017, his career was "derailed a bit" after he suffered a torn ACL after just one game, as Bleacher Report reported. He signed with the Chicago Bears ahead of the 2018 season, where he bounced back with back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons in 2019 and 2020.

After leaving Chicago, Robinson played for the Los Angeles Rams in 2022, the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2023, and the Detroit Lions in 2024. He finished his career with 7,058 receiving yards on 565 receptions and 43 touchdowns across 139 regular-season games, as reported by the New York Post.

Robinson did not play in the 2025 season, including a campaign with the Kansas City Chiefs, as Bleacher Report noted, and went unsigned.

Rams Stint and Trade

The Rams signed Robinson to a three-year, $46.5 million contract in March 2022 after their Super Bowl LVI win. However, as the New York Post described, his time in Los Angeles was an "expensive experiment that never quite worked." Robinson played 10 games that season, catching 33 passes for 339 yards and three touchdowns, before a foot injury ended his year early.

Rams head coach Sean McVay had praised Robinson upon his signing, calling him a "stud" and complimenting his "body control for a bigger receiver" and his "ability to get in and out of their breaks with fluidity."

In March 2023, the Rams traded Robinson to the Steelers, with the two teams exchanging seventh-round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, as Sports Illustrated reported. He played all 17 games for Pittsburgh in 2023, recording 34 catches for 280 yards, and later had two catches for 12 yards in a Wild Card playoff loss to the Bills.

Final Season and Hometown Return

Robinson, a Detroit native who played high school football at Orchard Lake St. Mary's, signed with the Lions' practice squad in August 2024 and was promoted to the active roster in September. He appeared in 12 games as the club's fifth wideout, amassing 30 yards on three receptions, according to Heavy.

Gratitude and Legacy

In his retirement message, Robinson expressed deep gratitude for his career. He said in an interview that playing for coaches Sean McVary with the Rams, Mike Tomlin with the Steelers, and Dan Campbell with the Lions was a "blessing" and "a heck of a journey."

Sports Illustrated highlighted Robinson's strong connection with Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. Robinson said, "I had the strongest connections coach-wise with Coach Tomlin. When he coached, the things that he said day in and day out was an experience like no other, to the point where I called my agent and told him that I couldn't play for any other coach other than Coach Tomlin."

He also praised his Steelers teammates George Pickens, Diontae Johnson, and Calvin Austin III." "I feel like I enjoyed playing the game with those guys again," Robinson said, as quoted by Sports Illustrated.

Robinson's career totals: 7,058 receiving yards, 565 receptions, and 43 touchdowns over 11 seasons.