Thibodaux native hoping to star in Super Bowl run for Lions | Sports

All of his life, Thibodaux native Amik Robertson has heard it from critics.

“You’re too small,” some said.

“You didn’t play at a big enough school,” others said.

“No way you will make it at the highest levels,” piped others.

But in the final weekend of the NFL season, Robertson silenced all of those critics and did himself and also our area proud – jump-starting a push that he and his team hope will end in a Super Bowl Championship.

Robertson is a starting defensive back for the Detroit Lions – a team which had a bye in the NFC Playoffs this past weekend and will begin their Super Bowl journey this weekend.

To earn that bye, the Lions had to win a Week 18 showdown game with the Vikings. In that game, Robertson played arguably the best game of his entire NFL career, limiting superstar receiver Justin Jefferson to just 3 catches.

After the game, Robertson was seen kneeling on the turf at Ford Field, showing his love and support to God. It also was a period of rejoice for a young man who has worked hard to find his place at the highest levels and who is enjoying the ride while it’s here.

“There’s no telling how good we can be,” Robertson said after the NBC television broadcast of the game. “We think the sky is the absolute limit here for our guys.”

Robertson has waited for this moment his entire life.

At every level, Robertson has shined and had success – even though critics always pointed to the one thing he couldn’t control: his height, standing just 5-foot, 9-inches tall.

At Thibodaux, Robertson was a dominant force – a player who played both ways and had a career’s worth of defining moments.

Former Thibodaux coach Chris Dugas, the current offensive coordinator at Central Lafourche, said he knew right away when he got a look at Robertson that he was going to be special.

“You could see it right away. It just looked different for Amik,” Dugas said earlier this year of his former prep star. “You could see the talent. You could see the athleticism, but more important maybe than those things, you could see the relentless drive and the work ethic. We knew as soon as we had him that he was a special, special football player. And the successes he’s having right now are to the surprise of no one who was in our program with him.”

After a dominant career at Thibodaux, Robertson signed with Louisiana Tech, despite having an offer from LSU late in the game that was tempting.

With the Bulldogs, Robertson again was a force, dominating defensively and on special teams, establishing himself as one of the most decorated players in the history of the program.

Because of his lack of elite size, Robertson fell to the 4th round of the 2020 NFL Draft, being selected by the Raiders – the team he spent 4 seasons with.

Robertson had some good moments as a Raider – establishing himself as a reliable secondary option in both 2022 and 2023. But with his rookie contract up, he changed scenery and went to a contender, signing a 2-year deal this offseason with the Detroit Lions.

The Lions got a steal.

Robertson has been a big piece of the Lions’ defense – a defense that has been torn to shreds by injuries.

Robertson started as a slot cornerback but due to multiple injuries in the secondary, he’s now the team’s primary outside defensive back.

In the season finale, the Vikings made a plan to try and pick on Robertson and feed the explosive Jefferson, arguably the best receiver in the league.

Robertson never flinched, winning most of the 1-on-1 battles and having the game of his career.

“This kid has been something special,” said NBC’s Chris Collinsworth on the broadcast of the game.

After the game, Thibodaux faithful exploded on social media, expressing their support of one of their own.

This weekend, that same support will be on full display as the Lions begin their Super Bowl journey.

Robertson said he wants to help bring a title to Thibodaux, adding that he loves the team in Detroit.

He also has become a locker room leader for the way he’s played.

“Man, I’m so proud of him,” said Lions’ safety Kerby Joseph. “He’s waited for this moment and he’s making the best of it.”