Jets' James Robinson says Jaguars used injury as 'excuse' to bench him

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New York Jets running back James Robinson took aim at his former team just days after being traded by the Jacksonville Jaguars, saying they had used his recent injury as an "excuse" not to play him in Sunday’s game against the New York Giants. 

With star running back Breece Hall suffering a season-ending injury against the Denver Broncos over the weekend, Robinson was acquired in a trade for a conditional sixth-round pick on Monday.

Zach Wilson, #2 of the New York Jets, hands the ball to Breece Hall, #20, during a game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on October 16, 2022, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Jets defeated the Packers 27-10.  (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

The third-year running back spoke to reporters on Wednesday and revealed that the trade had been seemingly "out of the blue."

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"They didn’t tell me about it really, it was just out of the blue, kind of."

"It feels pretty good, I’ll say that," Robinson said, with a chuckle, of his new team. "5-2 from 2-5, so it feels pretty good to be a part of this team." 

James Robinson #25 of the Jacksonville Jaguars runs the ball against the Houston Texans during the second half at TIAA Bank Field on October 9, 2022 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Mike Carlson/Getty Images)

Robinson played a larger role in the Jaguars run game for the first three weeks of the season, rushing 230 yards for three touchdowns and another in the air. But his touches slowly diminished with Travis Etienne getting more attention.

He did not have any touches in Sunday’s loss to the Giants, which head coach Doug Pederson later attributed to "knee soreness." 

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But Robinson disputed that. 

"I feel pretty good," he said. "I’ll say the communication was really not there. And last Sunday, I felt like I could play but obviously, you guys seen it, I didn’t."

"Travis is a great guy, great running back. I kind of thought it was going to be a one-two punch kind of thing," Robinson later added. "I think [the Jaguars] probably fell out of that a little bit. So I feel like they’re using my not feeling healthy as an excuse, I guess."

James Robinson, #25 of the Jacksonville Jaguars, scores a touchdown during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on September 25, 2022, in Inglewood, California.  (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

"There’s gonna be soreness. Drains in the knee. That’s stuff I’ve been through already there. But I feel good now."

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Coach Robert Saleh said the team feels "comfortable" with where Robinson is in terms of his health, but added that it will be a "day-to-day" decision with the running back situation on Sunday.