Running backs coach Tashard Choice is playing mind games with his star, Jahmyr Gibbs, and it is absolutely genius. Just last week, after Bijan Robinson put on an absolute clinic against the Packers, Choice didn’t hesitate to text the Falcons running back to thank him. “You put on a show tonight. You gave my boy something to aim at,” Choice recalled saying to Robinson. Then, he immediately turned his attention to Gibbs, telling him, “Hey, man, they [saying] he’s better than you. You’ve got to go do something.” And Gibbs delivered, hard.
Pitting Greatness Against Greatness
This isn’t some new tactic from Choice, either. The connection between Gibbs and Robinson runs deep, starting with the 2023 NFL Draft where Robinson went eighth overall and Gibbs 12th, just four picks apart. Their contracts this offseason were nearly identical too: Robinson signed a three-year, $66.75 million deal, and Gibbs inked a three-year, $67.5 million contract. But the real link is Choice himself. He coached Gibbs for two years at Georgia Tech. When Gibbs left for Alabama, Choice moved on to Texas, where he coached Robinson for his final college year with the Longhorns. Choice has been strategically pitting them against each other for years, even telling Robinson back then, “You’ve got to be better than him” after coaching Gibbs. This man knows how to push buttons.
The Response That Tells You Everything
Robinson’s “showcase” performance was no joke: 194 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries. That’s a monster game. But Choice’s challenge to Gibbs wasn’t just talk. Gibbs responded with a massive day of his own, racking up 164 scrimmage yards and finding the end zone three times against the Jets. It just shows you what kind of fire Choice is stoking within him. Choice admits it is tough to motivate guys who are already at the top of their game and getting paid what they deserve. He believes you sometimes “have to nag a man” and find “little things to push him.” And clearly, reminding Gibbs about Robinson’s success is a big-time motivator.
Gibbs, for his part, admits he loves watching Robinson play and is genuinely happy for his success. But don’t mistake that modesty for a lack of ambition. “We always want to compete and we always want to be the best,” Gibbs stated. “So I mean I think that just speaks for itself.” While Gibbs might be soft-spoken, Choice is more than happy to be his hype man. “He wants to be the best. He’ll never say that, but his actions going to tell you that,” Choice explained. “It’s going to show so he don’t have to speak at all. I think that’s one of the things I’m fond of.” The early returns on this friendly rivalry are electrifying. As the season continues, keep an eye on these two. You just know Choice is already cooking up his next text, ready to light the fuse for another explosive performance.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pride of Detroit.
Leave a Reply