Jimmie Robinson is gearing up for some Monday night mayhem.
The Massachusetts Pirates running back plans to let loose, as his Indoor Football League team plays host to the Quad City Steamwheelers on Monday at Tsongas Center. Kickoff is set for 7:05 p.m.
The Pirates (7-6) are fresh off a big 44-30 win over the Jacksonville Sharks on Saturday, snapping a three-game losing skid. They’ll look for some payback against a tough Quad City club (6-6) that previously got the best of them, 54-43, in Moline, Illinois, on April 20.
“This will be my first Monday night game in arena football,” said Robinson. “We know it will be a tough game as always. We have to eliminate the mistakes on our end and just play Pirates football. If we do that it’s hard for us to be beat. I’m hoping it will be a sold-out crowd. I’m really excited for it.”
After jumping out to a fantastic 4-0 start, the Pirates have been battling with consistency as of late, winning just three of their last nine. The road win against Jacksonville could go a long way as they regroup for the homestretch and final three remaining regular season games.
“In the losses we’ve had, we were just one less mistake away from winning,” said Robinson. “We’ve played a good group of teams, but I honestly feel like we beat ourselves in those losses. Last weekend, we worked on having a championship mindset, taking it one game at a time and not looking forward to the playoffs. We are controlling what we can control now.”
Robinson will be a key cog in getting the offense in motion. The 5-foot-8, 182-pound running back currently leads the IFL in rushing with 938 yards on 161 carries, and a league best 28 touchdowns. He’s also pulled down 215 yards receiving with three end zone grabs.
Last week against Jacksonville, the fleet-footed running back broke the 100-yard rushing barrier for the first time this season, with 109 on 17 carries while adding a touchdown.
“It’s always a great feeling knowing that I can be a big impact player for the team,” said Robinson. “They trust me when the game is on the line to get things done.”
Since joining the league last season, Robinson has been in perpetual motion, leading the IFL in rushing the past two seasons.
Last year in Worcester, he ran for 28 rushing touchdowns and was third in the league, averaging 65.4 rushing yards per game. The former undrafted free agent signing of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2019 led the IFL in total offense per game last year, averaging138 yards. He also had 27 receptions for 316 yards and three touchdowns.
In his rookie year, Robinson set or equaled IFL single-game season highs in touchdowns with six, rushing touchdowns (six), 36 points and 163 rushing yards against Iowa. In Worcester, Robinson set seven single-game, 13 single-season, and eight all-time Pirates records.
He’s only continued to build on his pigskin resume in Lowell this season, running for five rushing touchdowns against the Northern Arizona Wranglers in May 18, and recording his first kickoff return of the season in a game against the San Antonio Gunslingers on June 15.
“It’s a really good feeling knowing that I can bring that kind of energy onto the field,” said Robinson. “Being a guy that can make a play happen at any time.”
But as talented as he is, Robinson knows he can’t go at it alone. The speedy back credits the unheralded play of his offensive line for making it all possible.
“I can’t thank those guys enough,” said Robinson. “We have a big group up front. They really make it way easier for me when it comes to seeing holes. It’s not hard seeing those holes, because of their movement up front. They’re doing a great job doing what they are doing.”
A Native of Palm Coast, Fla., Robinson was drawn to the football field at the age of 8.
“Growing up, that’s all I would see,” said Robinson. “My older cousins made us start playing at a young age. I was playing with guys that were 14-15 years old and I was just 8. I was always the smallest, so I had to be the fastest.”
The IFL is his third professional stop on his football journey. Robinson signed with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League in 2021.
“I always had that mindset that I could play at the next level,” said Robinson. “I had that goal. So, every time I stepped out onto the football field from Pop Warner to middle school to high school, I always had that in mind. This is what I wanted to do.”
He likes the attitude the Pirates have displayed this season, even when times have gotten tough.
“We have a good group of guys that can all bring something different to the table,” said Robinson. “Offense-wise, we basically have the same group of guys we had last year. We clicked pretty well together. Defense has a couple guys from last year. They’re still learning from each other. They’re making plays and having fun. That’s the biggest thing we talk about every week, having fun and doing your job. I think with this win (last weekend) it’s bringing the energy back to us.”
And there’s no better place to get the job done then in front of packed houses at the Tsongas Center. The running back has enjoyed introducing his team’s brand of football to the masses each week in Lowell
“They’ve been really good,” said Robinson. “The fans have come out and have given us a lot of support. We go to a lot of events in the community. They’ve showed their love back with their support on game day. A lot of the kids have come out. It’s been a great.”
With two road games remaining in San Antonio and Tulsa, Robinson knows his team still has plenty left to play for. But first things first. Bring on Quad City.
“We’re not looking too far ahead,” said Robinson. “Don’t focus on next week, until we finish the job this week.”
