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Rivalry Saturday in Durham gave college football plenty to talk about, yet a five-second clip ended up being quite the highlight. Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III is the latest voice to weigh in on a moment involving Duke cornerback Kimari Robinson, and he did not hold back.
Griffin reacted to a viral clip that shows Robinson swatting at the arm of a female athletic trainer during an interruption in Duke’s game against North Carolina. The trainer seemed to clear the area for the staff to attend to a downed player and was pushing Robinson away.
“As a man, this just can’t happen. No excuses for it,” Griffin wrote on X.
The teammate on the ground was DaShawn Stone. A stretcher was brought out onto the field, ad Duke players filed out to the spot where Stone was lying. However, the injured cornerback was luckily able to leave the field on his own.
According to 97.9 The Hill WCHL’s Michael Koh, Stone might have taken a hit to his head after tackling North Carolina’s Jaylen McGill.
Robinson’s reaction has split fans’ opinions. Some argued that Robinson was acting out of worry for a close friend and should not be defined by a few seconds of footage. Others sided with Griffin, and one commenter went as far as calling for his “instant dismissal from the university.”
A third group landed in the middle, saying they understood Robinson’s emotion but felt the trainer should have used words rather than physical contact. Whether or not this lands the cornerback in trouble with the staff is left to be seen.
Robinson is a redshirt junior and comes from Miramar, Florida. He played at St. Thomas Aquinas High School. Entering the UNC game, Robinson tallied 62 career tackles, six passes defended, and one forced fumble.
The game ended in disappointment for the Blue Devils. North Carolina beat Duke 24-20. The Tar Heels led 17-7 at halftime. In the second half, Duke rallied behind quarterback Walker Eget, who threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Nate Sheppard to give the Blue Devils a 20-17 lead. Jaylen McGill answered with a 24-yard touchdown run for North Carolina, and Kenton Dopson III intercepted a Duke pass to seal the win.
Griffin’s criticism has added a prominent voice to the reaction. As of the cited reports, no formal team or university sanction has been confirmed. The immediate focus remains on the footage and the responsibility players have to give medical staff room to do their jobs when a teammate is down.