May 16, 2014

Rookie of the Year: Paul Robinson, 1968

Halfback, Cincinnati Bengals



Age: 24 (Dec. 19)
College: Arizona
Height: 6’0”   Weight: 200

Prelude:
Robinson went to college on a track scholarship and only played football in his last year. He was chosen by the expansion Bengals in the third round of the 1968 AFL/NFL draft, moved directly into the lineup, and scored the first regular season touchdown in franchise history.

1968 Season Summary
Appeared in all 14 games
[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing
Attempts – 238 [1]
Most attempts, game - 26 (for 33 yds.) at NY Jets 12/8
Yards – 1023 [1]
Most yards, game – 159 yards (on 17 carries) at Oakland 10/27
Average gain – 4.3 [5]
TDs – 8 [1]
100-yard rushing games – 4

Pass Receiving
Receptions – 24      
Most receptions, game – 7 (for 30 yds.) at Boston 12/1
Yards – 128
Most yards, game – 78 (on 4 catches) vs. Houston 11/3
Average gain – 5.3
TDs – 1

Kickoff Returns
Returns – 3
Yards – 58
Average per return – 19.3
TDs – 0
Longest return – 22 yards

Punt Returns
Returns – 1
Yards – 1
TDs – 0

All-Purpose yards – 1210 [7]

Scoring
TDs – 9 [6]
Points – 54 [14]

Awards & Honors:
AFL Rookie of the Year: UPI
1st team All-AFL: AP, UPI, NEA, NY Daily News, Pro Football Weekly
2nd team All-AFL: PFWA
1st team All-Western Division: Sporting News
AFL All-Star Game

Bengals went 3-11 to finish fifth in the AFL Western Division.

Aftermath:
The smooth-running Robinson never again matched the production of his rookie year. His rushing total dropped off to 489 yards in 1969, although he was still chosen to the last AFL All-Star Game. With a strong second half, he reached 622 yards in ’70 but carried only 49 times for 213 yards in 1971 and was traded to the Oilers during the ’72 season. Robinson was a backup with Houston in 1973 and left for the Birmingham Americans of the WFL, where he played one final season in 1974 and led the team in rushing with 599 yards on the way to that league’s only championship. In the AFL and NFL, Robinson rushed for 2947 yards on 737 carries (4.0 avg.) and caught 90 passes for 612 more yards, scoring a total of 26 touchdowns. While his career failed to live up to the early promise, Robinson remains the only player to rush for a thousand yards for a first-year expansion team in the AFL/NFL.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie of the Year in the NFL, AFL (1960-69), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press – Offense or Defense, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, or the league itself – Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year).