The physical pain was one thing, but when he broke his arm on the second defensive play of the Detroit Lions’ playoff loss to the Washington Commanders, the mental anguish he felt over leaving his team in a bind at its most critical point in the season is what really threw Amik Robertson for a loop.
“Mentally, man, it was devastating,” Robertson told reporters after the Lions’ final practice of organized team activities. “I had my goals set for myself, but it happened. I didn’t question God.
“Everything happens for a reason, man. I’m in good spirits.”
Robertson played last season as the Lions’ primary slot cornerback and is expected to fill that role again this fall.
He moved to outside cornerback late in the season as the Lions navigated a slew of injuries on defense and helped hold Justin Jefferson to three catches in the team’s division-clinching Week 18 win over the Minnesota Vikings.
Robertson broke his arm two weeks later while tackling Commanders receiver Terry McLaurin in the Lions’ postseason opener and was escorted to the locker room by trainers. He underwent surgery that night, and said he used the extra down time he had during rehab this spring to spend with his family.
“I always look at a positive, take something positive out of it,” Robertson said. “But mentally I’m great, man. I’m in great spirits. Being able to get a lot of mental reps when I’m out there. … As of now mentally, I think I’m in a great head space.”
Robertson said he expects to be fully cleared “very, very soon,” and once he is he’ll join a secondary that’s positioned to take a step forward this fall.
Detroit Lions cornerback Amik Robertson (21) poses for a photo next to cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (23) after practice during OTA at Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park on Friday, May 30, 2025.
The Lions return the best safety tandem in the NFL in Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch and added D.J. Reed to start at the cornerback spot opposite Terrion Arnold. They signed veteran Avonte Maddox as a jack-of-all-trades backup, and Arnold and fellow 2024 draft pick Ennis Rakestraw Jr. should take a step forward in Year 2.
“We know what we want to be, man, but this world is an action world,” Robertson said. “We want to go out there and prove it. Not only to our ourself but to these fans. The outside noise, we don’t worry about cause at the end of the day it’s going to shift.
“Once you’re doing good it’s going to shift. So as of now, man, we continue to trust one another, continue to build and become one of the best defenses in the league.”
Robertson called Reed, the Lions’ top free-agent addition of the offseason, “feisty” and said he “kind of remind(s me of) myself.”
Detroit Lions cornerback Amik Robertson (21) grimaces as he is helped off the field after an injury in the first quarter against the Washington Commanders in the NFC divisional round at Ford Field in Detroit on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025.
He said he feeds off doubters predicting a step back this fall for a Lions team that lost eight assistant coaches plus starters at cornerback (Carlton Davis), guard (Kevin Zeitler) and center (Frank Ragnow) this offseason.
“I want it no other way,” he said.
And he said he’s anxious to join a mostly-healthy defense on the field for training camp this summer.
“We’re going to let our actions speak, man, but just know we going to continue playing Lions football at a high level,” he said. “Last year didn’t go as planned, which we understand, but it’s a new year, man. Some new faces, new swagger, new fire. So I expect us to have a great season.”
Dave Birkett is the author of the book, “Detroit Lions: An Illustrated Timeline.” Order your copy here.
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