Bijan Robinson is preparing for another busy season as Falcons' do-it-all running back

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga (AP) — Michael Penix Jr. enters his first full season as Atlanta's starting quarterback with the good fortune of knowing Bijan Robinson has been both productive and durable as the focus of the Falcons' offense at running back.

Robinson was a do-it-all back for Atlanta in 2024, his second pro season. He ranked third in the league with 1,456 yards rushing and third among all running backs with 61 catches. He tied for fifth with 14 rushing touchdowns and was fourth with 304 carries.

While Philadelphia's Saquon Barkley was voted the NFL's top running back by The Associated Press entering the season, Robinson was included in the top five.

Now, after Penix made only three starts as a rookie to close last season, the Falcons can be expected to take advantage again of their strong running game with Robinson and Tyler Allgeier.

“You have to get him the rock,” Penix said at the start of training camp. "It’s simple as that. It doesn’t matter how we do it. Somehow, some way he’s got to have the rock.”

Robinson said he learned more about preparing for another busy season by working out with San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey in California this offseason.

“It was great,” Robinson said. “Me and him just giving each other so many tips and feeding off knowledge from each other on the field. … We worked together the whole month. I got to see how he worked. He got to see how I worked. It was really cool two guys coming together trying to make each other better. He taught me some nuance moves on the field and I did the same for him.”

The challenge for coach Raheem Morris is to make the most of Robinson's production while not overextending his workload.

“You definitely want to protect that kind of unique athlete,” Morris said, adding that Robinson “doesn’t need a governor” as an artificial cap on his number of carries.

“He’s certainly one of those guys that can carry the load,” Morris said. “Certainly one of the guys that has carried the load for us. And you could definitely do that. But we just happen to have some really good backs, you know? ... We have a luxury of having a guy like Tyler on our team.”

Allgeier rushed for 1,035 yards as a rookie in 2022 and averaged 4.7 yards per carry while rushing for 644 yards on a career-low 137 carries last season. There is an emphasis on creating opportunities to use Allgeier more this season.

“We've got to find ways to get Tyler on the field, to find ways to feature him on the field,” Morris said.

It wouldn't be a surprise to see more two-running back sets, perhaps with defenses having to monitor Robinson put in motion as a receiver while Allgeier remains lined up behind Penix.

General manager Terry Fontenot said Sunday that Kirk Cousins has been “the ultimate professional” after losing his starting job to Penix last season and returning as a backup, despite speculation the veteran could be traded.

“Outside, it’s a lot more of a big deal than it is in the building,” Fontenot said of the questions about Cousins' status. “He shows up. He does his job just like anybody. ... He’s been a great professional. He’s handled himself well."

Fontenot said backup quarterback Easton Stick, who worked out with wide receiver D.J. Chark in the offseason after the two were Los Angeles Chargers teammates last season, passed along a recommendation that the Falcons look at signing the veteran. Chark worked out at the Falcons' facility on Friday and signed in time to have his first practice on Saturday.

The timing was convenient, as starter Darnell Mooney is expected to miss several weeks with a shoulder injury.

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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) works out during a Atlanta Falcons training camp, Saturday, July 26, 2025, in Flowery Branch. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris, right, speaks with coach T. J. Lang during a Atlanta Falcons training camp, Saturday, July 26, 2025, in Flowery Branch. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Atlanta Falcons general manager speaks to the media moments before the team's training camp on Sunday, July 27, 2025, in Flowery Branch, Ga. (Miguel Martinez/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)

FILE - Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (7) runs the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Atlanta. The Panthers defeated the Falcons 44-38. (AP Photo/Danny Karnik, File(

FILE - Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (7) and quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) run drills during an NFL football training camp practice, May 27, 2025, in Flowery Branch, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong officials on Wednesday proposed expanding oversight of building maintenance projects and stronger fire safety steps after a blaze in November killed at least 161 people and displaced thousands.

The blaze that spread across seven towers in an apartment complex raised questions about corruption, negligence and government oversight in the city's building maintenance projects, piling pressure on Hong Kong leader John Lee’s administration and Beijing’s “patriots-only” governance system for the city.

In the newly elected legislature's first meeting, Lee said the fire exposed the need for reform and pledged that the investigation by law enforcement agencies and a judge-led independent committee would be thorough.

“We will fairly pursue accountability and take disciplinary action based on facts against anyone who should bear responsibility, regardless of whether they are from within or outside the government, or whether they are junior or senior staff,” Lee said.

To combat bid-rigging, Lee's administration proposed that the Urban Renewal Authority play a greater role in helping homeowners choose contractors for building maintenance projects.

Officials planned to set up a preselected list of consultants and contractors based on official background checks and past reviews from homeowners. The authority would facilitate homeowners in tendering and bid evaluation more.

The government also suggested requiring big renovation projects to hire a third-party professional to supervise the work, necessitating fire department's approval before shutting down major fire safety installations, and banning smoking on any construction site.

Proposals for law changes linked to the smoking ban were expected to be submitted for the legislature's review within the next few weeks, while officials were still discussing some of the other suggestions with the Urban Renewal Authority.

Authorities have pointed to substandard netting and foam boards installed during renovations at the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex as factors that contributed to the fire in November. They also said some fire alarms did not work in tests.

Political analysts and observers worried the tragedy could be the “tip of an iceberg" in Hong Kong, a city whose skyline is built on high-rise buildings. Suspicions of bid-rigging and use of hazardous construction materials in renovation projects across other housing estates have left many fearing the disaster could be repeated.

A man walks past the burnt buildings after a deadly fire that started Wednesday at Wang Fuk Court, a residential estate in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong's New Territories, Friday, Nov. 28 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

FILE - Smoke rises after a fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court, a residential estate in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong's New Territories, Nov. 26 2025. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei, File)