Reconnecting with Demarcus Robinson

Michael Hull

Wide receiver Demarcus Robinson is currently less than halfway through his first season with the Baltimore Ravens. Robinson started on the outside for Florida from 2013-2015, leading the Gators in receptions in his last season and being a consistent deep threat over his years in Gainesville. Since being drafted in the fourth round in 2016, he has won a Super Bowl and two AFC Championship games with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Going back to your decision to come to UF, you actually went back and forth a few times between Florida and Clemson. What was it about UF that made you commit to the Gators?

Robinson: Just the coaching, Muschamp did a great job just talking to me, getting me really where I wanted to be and where I needed to be. So, it turned out great, actually. It was all Muschamp just talking to him and the staff at that time.

So you really erupted onto the Gainesville scene in your sophomore year, 2014. There’s one game in particular I want to ask you about: Week 2 against Kentucky. Not only is it a triple OT thriller, but you tied the Florida receptions record with 15 and had 216 yards and two touchdowns. What was that game like for you? Could you feel it early on that you were in for an historic day?

Robinson: Honestly, no, I didn't realize after the end of the game that I caught 15 passes or had 216 yards at that time. I didn't know it was gonna be that big of a day for me. But, Driskel kept throwing me the ball and it turned out great. He kept finding on the quick out routes and stuff like that, and slant routes. I was able to just make something work and get up field.

Looking back at your overall UF experience, is there a moment, or a few moments, that kind of encapsulate your experience in Gainesville?

Robinson: Just the atmosphere, having my friends in the community. It was great to be there for three years. All of my teammates and everybody made being there just feel like home since I’m from Georgia. So, it was a nice experience, I had a great time.

You declared for the draft as a junior. What went into that decision to go to the NFL instead of staying for your senior year?

Robinson: Honestly, it was a wild story. One, I didn’t know what I was gonna do, and we had a bowl game coming up. So, I asked my coach could we decide after the bowl game? The bowl game was like a week away. And during that week of practice, we had a conversation about it. Say it was this Thursday, but the game was like next Saturday. 

The next day, McElwain put out, like “yea, I think DeMarcus Robinson’s gonna declare for the draft.” And I was just confused by that statement after we had talked like we were gonna discuss it after the game. And he just already put that statement out there. So yeah, it was kind of weird. But yeah, it worked out, I guess.

You got selected by the Kansas City Chiefsin the fourth round. How was that transition for you going from high level play in college in the SEC to the NFL? What was that move like for you?

Robinson: Obviously different. Everybody can play to the highest ability in the NFL, and that’s what we did. We had great seasons, we had great years when I was in Kansas City. I was able to win the Super Bowl, I went to two of them to be exact, a couple AFC Championships. Yeah, man, I had a great time there.

You won a Super Bowl with the Chiefs in 2019 like you said. What did that moment mean to you as a player and person?

Robinson: When I got to Kansas City, we always kinda won. I went to a playoff game every year. I talked to my uncle (Marcus Robinson, former NFL wide receiver) after we won the Super Bowl, and he was like “Man, you know I played 10 years in the league, and I never even been to a playoff game.” I was like wow, so it’s really kind of hard to do that. I’m still playing with guys right now that haven’t even been to a couple AFC Championship games. That’s pretty tough knowing that I was young yand I was already going to a couple of them. 

So, I mean it feels great, man. That’s the biggest goal, that’s the whole (reason) we play this game to get a championship and get a ring. Yea, I accomplished that, that was pretty nice.

You've been able to play with some pretty good quarterbacks during your time in the league, obviously playing with Pat Mahomes in Kansas City and now Lamar Jackson. What was it like catching passes from Mahomes? And then what adjustment is it catching passes from someone who's more mobile and kind of makes things happen outside the pocket like Lamar?

Robinson: I mean, it’s all the same, I would say. I’m not saying they’re the same, but catching the ball is the same to me I guess. Just being focused on your plays and what you gotta do on that specific play and then execute. The quarterbacks know most of them assignments, all of the assignments for that fact.

They both can throw the ball deep, and they both can get outside the pocket and run and make plays outside of the pocket. So, you just got to always stay aware and stay on your toes and be ready to make a play.

Can you describe for me where the nickname Honey Thunder came from?

Robinson: That was my guy Johnny McCrary, he went to Vanderbilt, he was a quarterback at Vanderbilt. We went to a couple games together, like the Army All-American game. We met there, and during practice and stuff, he was like “bro the social media stuff coming out, you gotta get a Twitter and Instagram.” And I was like, “I have neither.” He was like, “okay your name gotta be kinda crazy.” When he first started, his was Big Daddy Indonesia, so I was like “what bro?” I didn’t understand it.

And at the time, I had a thunderbolt in my hair like Wiz Khalifa had, the little patch. I put a gold thunderbolt going through my hair. He was like “well since you got that and it looks like a little honey color, and it’s a thunderbolt, so just put Honey Thunder.” He came up with it like that, man, and I stuck with it.

So, I have to ask about your introduction to Baltimore. You’re immediately thrown into a preseason game against the Commanders, and you score a 67-yard touchdown after burning Danny Johnson. . How did that feel immediately making an impact like that? What did you see on that play, if you'd walk me through it?

Robinson: It looked like they were in Cover 4, and I had a Sluggo route. They wanted to see what I could do, and I was able to go out and make a couple plays. I’ve seen that coverage, that was probably the perfect coverage for that route. Yeah, man, he bit the cheese so I was able to get by and it turned out well.

Was the high step at the end planned?

Robinson: Oh, it was definitely spur of the moment. I didn’t even know I was gonna do that.

Contact Michael Hull at mhull@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter at @Michael_Hull33.

---