The focus of Duke’s recent game against North Carolina shifted from the loss itself to an incident on the sidelines that quickly gained attention online. During the game, Duke quarterback Kimari Robinson was seen standing over his injured teammate DaShawn Stone, at which point a female staff member intervened and pushed him aside.
Robinson reacted by appearing to swat her arm away, but later extended an apology.
As discussed by BlazeTV host Jason Whitlock, “Kimari Robinson is towering over DaShawn Stone, who is lying motionless on the field. Robinson describes Stone as family. Two trainers are attending to Stone when a third staff member, a woman with red hair, rushes in and shoves Robinson aside,” he explains.
“He pushed her arm away, and the video spread like wildfire. Opinions flew, and many criticized Kimari Robinson for his reaction. He apologized after the game and again on Sunday via X,” Whitlock adds.
In his post on X, Robinson expressed, “I want to publicly apologize to a member of our training staff for how I acted toward her during Saturday’s game. I was completely wrong, and she did not deserve that. I apologized to her personally right after the game and ensured she was okay.”
He continued, “DaShawn Stone, who is on the ground, is like family to me, and I was genuinely concerned he might be seriously injured. However, my worry for him doesn’t justify my behavior towards her. I should have managed my emotions better.”
“I’m sincerely regretful for my actions and for disappointing her, myself, and our program. I need to improve,” he concluded.
Whitlock praised Robinson for taking responsibility: “He acknowledged his reaction. A man must control his hands, even in a moment of panic. He didn’t, which is inexcusable. But the narrative is misleading due to what it leaves out,” he points out.
Whitlock further noted that the trainer initiated the physical interaction by attempting to push Robinson away, raising questions about her actions. “You don’t just rush into a situation involving an injured player and shove a 200-pound quarterback in full gear. That’s not a trained response; it’s escalating the situation unnecessarily,” he elaborated.
He posed a challenging question: “Where’s her apology? Why does it seem like only the man is being held accountable?”
Whitlock pointed out that during the incident, the trainer did nothing to assist Stone. “She didn’t provide a brace, perform an evaluation, or offer comfort. Her only contribution was pushing Robinson. Yet, the public demands Robinson bear all the blame, while she faces none. She’s portrayed as the innocent victim, delicate and beyond criticism,” he stated.
“She’s not innocent. She comes across instead as someone who shows up to exert power over men,” he concluded.
