Former NFL quarterback and analyst Robert Griffin III publicly criticized Duke Blue Devils cornerback Kimari Robinson after a viral sideline incident during Duke’s game against North Carolina on Saturday afternoon in Durham.
The drama unfolded in the third quarter of the rivalry matchup when Duke safety DaShawn Stone suffered an apparent head injury and remained down on the turf. As medical personnel rushed onto the field, Robinson was standing closely over his injured teammate. When a female athletic trainer stepped in and attempted to guide Robinson away to give the medical staff room to work, Robinson aggressively swatted her arm away.
Griffin’s Reaction Told A Lot
In the aftermath of Robinson’s boneheaded move on national television, former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback and 2012 No.2 overall pick, Robert Griffin III condemned the action on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “As a man, this just can’t happen. No excuses for it.”
Griffin’s comments seemed to be the growing sentiment on the matter, and despite Robinson’s concern for his teammate he was 100 percent in the wrong for his behavior.
Fans Chime In
Robinson’s unforgettable moment quickly went viral and got fans talking all over social media.
“He’s useless in that situation; she isn’t,” a fan said.
“Athletic trainers take precedence on the field with injured players. Non injured players take a knee and get out the way. Standard practice since peewee. As players, we’ve seen plenty of injuries. This is unacceptable. Get him off the field,” another fan said.
“He’s probably used to doing that to a female,” a fan mentioned.
“He’s an asshole but she didn’t have to be so pushy,” another fan commented.
“She was wrong. Keep your hands to yourself,” a fan replied.
“His ego was hurt because a girl pushed him away,” another fan quipped.
“He deleted his Twitter/X account because he could not handle the heat,” a fan mentioned.
“Oh man, this is gonna be the Twitter debate of the weekend isn’t it?” a fan asked.
“No debate. That player is a retard,” someone else said.
Duke Lost To UNC For First Time Under Bill Belichick
Duke lost the game to the North Carolina Tar Heels by a score of 24–20, giving the UNC head coach and six-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick his first win in the Tobacco Road rivalry.
North Carolina blew an early 17–0 lead and fell behind 20–17 before rallying in the fourth quarter to reclaim the rivalry’s Victory Bell. Belichick famously noted during his introductory press conference that the first words he ever learned to say were “Beat Duke,” due to his father’s history as a coach/scout connected to the region.
The win followed UNC’s upset over No. 25 Pittsburgh the previous week and matched the Tar Heels’ total win count from the entire 2025 season.
