Commanders RB Brian Robinson to miss at least four games after being shot in leg

The Washington Commanders officially placed rookie running back Brian Robinson on the non-football injury list on Thursday, meaning he will miss at least the team's first four games of the season.

Robinson was shot twice in the right leg during an attempted robbery in Washington, D.C. last weekend. He was released from the hospital the next day and has since visited the team facility multiple times. 

There has been optimism that Robinson could still play this season as no major ligaments were damaged in the shooting. Thursday's news means he will be eligible to return to the lineup in Week 5 when the Commanders host the Tennessee Titans, but even that is not a guarantee.

He will miss games against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys.

"After four weeks we'll go from there," said Commanders coach Ron Rivera on Thursday, via the Associated Press. "Knowing who he is and knowing the type of young man he is and wanting to be back as quick as he would like to, I think the doctors probably thought that might be a good decision."

Robinson was drafted by the team in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft (No. 98 overall) out of Alabama and figured to play a big role in reshaping the team's running game this season.

He appeared in two of the team's preseason games, rushing for 57 yards on 14 carries (four yards per carry) and scoring a touchdown, and he was starting to push last year's starter Antonio Gibson for playing time.

Gibson will be the Commanders' Week 1 starter against the Jaguars is and is coming off a 1,000-yard season a year ago.