Wan'Dale Robinson Makes NFL History In Giants' Rout

What do you play for when the playoffs are out of reach and the only thing left is pride, records, and maybe a shot at personal history? For the New York Giants and Cincinnati Bengals, December 28, 2025, was about more than draft position. It was a day when two players, each at the opposite end of the NFL size spectrum, carved their names into league lore—reminding everyone that football is a game of heart, grit, and, sometimes, the unexpected.

Let’s start with Wan’Dale Robinson, the Giants’ diminutive dynamo. Standing just 5-foot-8 and weighing in at 185 pounds, Robinson has always played with a chip on his shoulder. Drafted in the second round back in 2022 out of Kentucky, he’s been a sneaky-effective weapon for Big Blue, especially as injuries decimated the Giants’ receiving corps. On Sunday, Robinson entered the matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders needing 99 yards to achieve something no player his size had done in over three decades: reach 1,000 receiving yards in a single NFL season.

It’s a feat so rare that you have to go all the way back to 1989 to find a comparable story. That year, Richard Johnson of the Detroit Lions, standing just 5-foot-7 and 182 pounds, racked up 1,091 yards, thanks in part to Mouse Davis’ run-and-shoot offense. Johnson was the smallest man to ever hit that milestone—until now. On Sunday, Robinson hauled in 11 catches on 14 targets, amassing 113 yards. Not only did he hit the 1,000-yard mark, he did it in style, with long gains of 36 and 17 yards that electrified the MetLife Stadium crowd and signaled a new chapter in Giants history.

“It means a lot, a lot of hard work went into this,” Robinson told reporters, only to be joyously interrupted by his teammates in the locker room. The celebration was well-earned. According to Corey Price, Robinson is the first former Kentucky Wildcat to notch a 1,000-yard NFL season since Randall Cobb did it in 2014. And at 5-foot-8, he’s now the shortest wide receiver in NFL history to reach that milestone. The achievement is even sweeter considering the adversity Robinson has faced—injuries, inconsistent quarterback play, and the constant battle for recognition in a league that often favors size over skill.

But this wasn’t just any game for the Giants. With a 3-13 record, they had been slotted for the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, a dubious honor that hung over their season like a cloud. Yet, in a twist of fate, the Giants delivered one of their best performances of the year, routing the Raiders 34-10. The offense, rejuvenated under rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, finally clicked. Dart attempted 30 passes, with nearly half of them aimed at Robinson, who has clearly become his go-to target. It’s hard to overstate how vital Robinson’s presence has been, especially as the Giants’ depth at receiver dwindled due to injuries.

This game marked Robinson’s third 100-yard receiving effort of the 2025 season. His previous career high came just a few weeks earlier, when he torched the Detroit Lions for 156 yards and a touchdown in an overtime thriller. That game, too, was a testament to his resilience—his rookie season had ended prematurely with a knee injury after a breakout 100-yard performance against those same Lions. Now, entering free agency at the end of his $8 million rookie deal, Robinson couldn’t have timed his breakout any better. There’s no question: he’s about to become one of the most intriguing names on the market, and there’s a growing chorus—"Somebody pay that man!"—from both fans and teammates alike.

Robinson’s journey is a reminder that the NFL still has room for the underdog. His ability to work the short and intermediate areas of the field, coupled with surprising bursts on longer routes, has made him indispensable. According to Rotowire, "Robinson accounted for 14 targets on 30 pass attempts from Jaxson Dart in that game. He primarily worked in short and intermediate areas of the field, though he did manage long gains of 36 and 17 yards to top 100 yards in a game for the third time this season." That versatility is exactly what teams crave in today’s pass-happy league.

While Robinson was making history in New York, another player was turning heads in Cincinnati—albeit for very different reasons. Bengals offensive lineman Cody Ford, a mountain of a man at 6-foot-3 and 345 pounds, found himself lined up as a wideout in the third quarter against the Arizona Cardinals. In a play that had both fans and commentators doing a double-take, Ford caught a 21-yard pass from Joe Burrow, setting up a one-yard touchdown run by Chase Brown just three plays later. It wasn’t quite the fabled "big man touchdown"—the #THICCSIX—but Ford’s catch was a delightful reminder of football’s unpredictability.

For the Bengals, who improved to 6-10 with their 37-14 win over Arizona, Ford’s moment was a bright spot in a season that, like the Giants’, had fallen well short of expectations. The play may not have changed the course of the Bengals’ year, but it did etch Ford’s name into the annals of NFL oddities—a rare achievement for a player at his position and size.

These individual achievements underscore a larger truth about the NFL: even in down years, when the playoffs are out of reach and the future is uncertain, there’s always something to play for. Records, pride, and the chance to make history still matter. For the Giants, Robinson’s breakout is a beacon of hope as they look to rebuild. For the Bengals, Ford’s highlight is a testament to the fun and creativity that can still be found when the pressure is off.

As the regular season winds down, all eyes will be on Wan’Dale Robinson’s next move. Will he secure a big contract and a fresh start with a contender? And what about Cody Ford—will his unexpected catch inspire more trick plays for big men across the league? One thing’s for sure: on a Sunday when little was at stake, two players reminded us why we watch the game in the first place.

With the Giants closing out their year on a high note and Robinson now etched in NFL history, the stage is set for an intriguing offseason. Fans can only hope that the best is yet to come for both of these unlikely heroes.