Wide receiver Allen Robinson II is retiring from the NFL after 11 seasons. He announced his intentions in an Instagram post Monday, his 33rd birthday.
“As I reflect on another year of life, I find myself especially grateful; not just for where I am, but for the journey that brought me here. This birthday feels a little different. It marks not only another year, but the beginning of a new chapter,” Robinson wrote. “To every love story, there comes a final chapter. Football gave me more than I ever could’ve imagined. It challenged me, shaped me, humbled me, and rewarded me in ways I’ll carry for the rest of my life.
“I came, I saw, I conquered and I leave with nothing but gratitude.”
The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Robinson out of Penn State in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He made the Pro Bowl the following season after tying the league lead in touchdown receptions with 14.
Robinson tore his ACL in Week 1 of 2017, the last year of his rookie contract in Jacksonville. The Bears still signed him to a three-year, $42 million contract, making him one of the highest-paid receivers in football.
He was one of the team’s leading receivers in 2018, helping the Bears to their first division title in eight years. He then went off for 10 catches for 143 yards and a touchdown in their playoff loss to the Eagles. Robinson also was very active in the Chicago community.
In 2019-20, Robinson was often one of the only bright spots on offense. He became the third Bear ever to have back-to-back 1,100-yard seasons, joining Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall. Robinson was voted the Bears’ Good Guy Award winner for his professionalism with the media. He played on the franchise tag in 2021 before signing a three-year deal with the Rams.
A star at Penn State, Robinson was known as an adept route runner who could make big sideline catches, like the one that he got a tattoo of — a 33-yard catch in the Nittany Lions’ 43-40 overtime win over Michigan.
Robinson finishes his NFL career with 565 catches for 7,058 yards and 43 TDs.