Bijan Robinson, Chris Lindstrom believe Stefanski can lead Falcons to playoffs

SAN FRANCISCO — Falcons Pro Bowlers Bijan Robinson and Chris Lindstrom are looking forward to playing for new coach Kevin Stefanski and are hoping the team has a playoff breakthrough in the 2026 season.

The Falcons finished 8-9 and missed the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season. One more win and they would have been in the playoffs.

“I feel like it’s been kind of like that … since I’ve been here,” Robinson told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution before Pro Bowl practice Monday. “I think if we just now get over those humps, we’ll be very hard to stop. We can be a dominant team next year. I think a lot of the players realize that. I think that we’re all ready for that change of urgency for us as a team.”

Robinson and Lindstrom both have spoken with Stefanski.

“I think you’ve just got to control the things that are in your purview,” Lindstrom told the AJC. “So for me, it’s just training for next season to be the best I can for whenever that report date is (April 7). Get ready to go and then still celebrate this and have fun in this window. Then get back to work.”

The Falcons had several special-teams miscues and lost two games to the Panthers (8-9 record), one to the Dolphins (7-10) and Jets (3-14) on a 56-yard field goal at the buzzer. They had big wins over the Bills (12-5), the Buccaneers (8-9) and the Rams (12-5).

“I know they say that’s the NFL, but I don’t like saying that’s the NFL because sometimes it’s just those little things that we could clean up or those little operational things,” Robinson said. “If you take those games, just three of those games, as wins, like, we’re in a whole different conversation.”

Stefanski will be Robinson’s third head coach in four seasons.

“I’m super excited to have him here,” Robinson said of Stefanski. “Just his urgency of what he brings. As soon as he got in the building, me and him had a conversation. I’m just really excited for this team and the plans that he has for this team.”

Robinson has studied how running backs Dalvin Cook, Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt were used by Stefanski with the Vikings and Browns.

“I know that he used them in a great way, but I think the great thing about him is, he knows his players and he adapts to who his players are,” Robinson said. “He adapts to the skill set. So, he did amazing things with those guys and for their skill sets. I think that he’ll do the same thing with my skill set, all of the guys on the offense and with how we all roll.”

He has been keeping up with quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who’s recovering from left knee surgery.

“He’s been in that training room every day,” Robinson said. “I’m really proud of him just for working at the ability that he’s been working at. If we get him back at the start of training camp, like, that’s a huge win for this team.”

For Penix, who had surgery Nov. 25, a return by the start of training camp would about a month earlier than the projection of nine to 12 months. He said last week he was hoping to make it back by the start of the season.

Robinson was excited about the development of the young players on defense last season.

“They did such a great job of bringing those guys in,” he said. “They brought into (defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich’s) defense. They weren’t selfish about it. Obviously, they had the season that they had.

“We had two defensive rookie-of-the-year (candidates). It’s cool to practice against them, but seeing them play in the games and how that all translates for them is pretty special.”

Lindstrom, who was drafted in the first round (14th overall) of the 2018 draft, has never reached the playoffs.

“Yeah, I mean, it’s hard,” Lindstrom said. “It’s something that I haven’t been able to experience in my career and something that, I really work so hard to every single time.”

He believes they can have a breakthrough.

“You have belief in the organization and your teammates that we’re going to get there,” he said. “I understand the fan base. People on the team, we have those goals and we feel that frustration of not reaching that goal. But just the only thing we can do is continue to work as hard as we can to have that success.”

Lindstrom said he interviewed with new offensive line coach Bill Callahan when he was on the staff of the Commanders in 2018 and said that he is aware of Callahan’s reputation.