Zac Robinson is entering his second offseason as the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons. Reflecting on his first year, Robinson described it as hectic due to working with two new quarterbacks and implementing a new system different from that of Arthur Smith’s previous regime.
“There were just so many things that were going on,” Robinson said. “And it was a big overhaul from the previous regime and the things these guys were used to with a lot of the players. Things moved fast.”
This year, Robinson has taken a more introspective approach, beginning by evaluating what worked well in the past season and what should change. A significant focus has been on Michael Penix Jr., whose skill set differs fundamentally from Kirk Cousins.
“With Mike now, it opens up a different avenue within the offense,” Robinson explained. He emphasized Penix’s arm strength, which allows for vertical field stretching through explosive passes—a trait noted during Penix’s time at Washington.
“You knew he had the arm strength,” Robinson stated, “but then you see it in person and it’s next level, like, ‘Holy smokes, this is different from stuff we’ve ever seen.'”
Robinson highlighted the importance of evolving to keep pace with defensive strategies in the NFL. He spends time watching tape across teams and college games to stay current with trends.
“If you’re not evolving in the NFL you’re going to get stuck behind defensive coaches,” he said.
Robinson noted that studying film in detail allows for identifying potential new plays that could be introduced later when players are ready.
“It was a lot of fun watching a bunch of tape of ourselves,” he concluded, emphasizing evolution as crucial for staying competitive in football.
