Jacksonville Jaguars running back James Robinson’s almost historic season is over.
Coach Doug Marrone said Robinson will not play at the end of the season in Indianapolis due to an ankle injury, leaving the running back 35 yards shy of breaking the record for most running yards by a rookie. Robinson, who also missed Week 16, ends 2020 with 1,070 yards, 34 behind Dominic Rhodes’ 1,104 yard mark in 2001.
“I was hopeful. I really was,” Marrone said, “but it doesn’t look like he’s going to be ready for our game. I think it’s safe to say he’s going to be out.”
Marrone also said he was not sure if the wide receiver DJ Chark (shin) would be able to play against the Colts (10-5), who face an unmissable game in their search for the playoffs.
Robinson is the third in the NFL to chase Derrick Henry and Dalvin Cook, but Aaron Jones (1,062) and David Montgomery (1,001) are close behind. Robinson is sixth in the NFL in scrimmage yards (1,414).
He is only the third newcomer to run 1,000 yards in Jaguar’s history, joining Fred Taylor (1,223 in 1998) and Leonard Fournette (1,040 in 2017).
“I can never say enough about that guy – I really can’t – about how hard he tries,” said Marrone of Robinson. “He wants to go back. He wants to play.”
The Jaguars hired Robinson as an Illinois non-hired free agent, and he was so impressive on the training ground that Jacksonville cut Fournette just before the start of the season.