Monday, September 5, 2005
By Nick Wagoner Senior Writer
The St. Louis Rams reunion tour added another player to its act Monday when tight end Jeff Robinson returned to the team. Robinson signed with St. Louis one day after receiving his release from the Dallas Cowboys. He joins the likes of tight end Roland Williams and tackle Matt Willig as Rams from the Super Bowl years to return to St. Louis after spending time elsewhere. Williams, for one, is happy to see his old friend and teammate back. “It’s a reunion, like an old school reunion,” Williams said. “I’m like, ‘Is that Jeff Robinson, what’s up?’ He’s doing great; it’s great to have him back on the team.” For Robinson, the feeling is mutual. “I knew there were some guys I would recognize,” Robinson said. “I didn’t realize it was going to be a reunion. I thought it was like the five-year reunion for the Super Bowl team. It was great. It’s good to see those guys back. We all know each other. We all know what we’re going to get from each other and that’s going to be important in winning games.” Robinson is entering his 13th season out of Idaho and brings with him a great deal of experience and veteran leadership.
To make room for Robinson the team released rookie Jerome Collins. With one spot remaining on the practice squad, Collins could be brought back in that capacity. When he was with the Rams the first time around, Robinson moved to tight end from defensive end after coming over from Denver in 1997. He also held down the role of the team’s deep snapper, developing into one of the better snappers in the league. He caught his first touchdown pass against Carolina in 1998 before he made the move full-time to tight end in 1999. That move came just in time for the Rams’ Super Bowl run. Robinson even caught a touchdown in the team’s playoff win against Minnesota that year. He spent two more seasons with the Rams before signing as a free agent with Dallas. That move was hard at the time, but Robinson was offered a substantial contract for a deep snapper, one so substantial that he couldn’t say no. “It’s not about the money, it’s about the money,” Robinson said. “I always laugh whenever someone says it’s not about the money, it’s about the money. I had to do it and I am glad I did. It put me in a different position financially for the rest of my life. So, it’s something I had to do. I’m very glad to finish up my career and be able to be a Ram doing that.”
With the Rams believing they are on the verge of winning this season, adding another veteran with Robinson’s leadership qualities makes the move a no-brainer.
Chris Massey took over the role of snapper in Robinson’s absence, but the addition of Robinson just gives St. Louis more security. But don’t expect the lighter (down to about 255 pounds) Robinson to do much deep snapping. Coach Mike Martz said Robinson will get the chance to make his mark as a tight end. “Jeff gives us another tight end without having to move Brandon back to tight end,” Martz said. “Jeff was a very integral part when we had those good runs here and the Super Bowls and he’s an outstanding tight end and he just happens to be a good long snapper too. He’s here to be a tight end for us, contribute any way he can both at the up position at tight end. We were short there one person a veteran like that knows how to play the game at a high level.” The opportunity for Robinson to get more playing time as a tight end is particularly exciting after toiling in exclusively short yardage and goal line situations for the Cowboys. He spent the 2002 season on injured reserve because of a knee injury and then caught just four passes in the past two seasons, each for a touchdown. From 1999-2001, Robinson caught 22 passes for 236 yards. Despite the big-money contract he was rewarded with, Robinson said he was surprised to last longer than one year in Dallas. “I thought for sure they’d cut me that second year and they never did,” Robinson said. “Then I thought they would cut me before the third year and they didn’t. I had my house on the market this spring if that tells you anything.” When he was released and St. Louis contacted him, it became a no brainer for Robinson to return. He jumped on the first plane into town and arrived in St. Louis on Sunday night. As for how much longer he expects to play, Robinson figures he has already lasted longer than he should. “I am very fortunate to play this game for this is my 13th year,” Robinson said. “Coming out of the University of Idaho I never expected to get past two or three. It’s called my scholarship on life. One of these days I am going to have to get a real job so I’ll try to prolong it as long as possible.”
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