Duke cornerback Kimari Robinson apologized after video from the Blue Devils’ game against North Carolina showed him swatting away the arm of a team trainer during an injury stoppage on Saturday.
The incident occurred in the third quarter of Duke’s 24-20 loss to the Tar Heels. Teammate DaShawn Stone was down on the field when a trainer ran over to assist him. As the trainer moved past Robinson, she nudged his arm to make room; Robinson then swatted her arm away, according to the video described in the source report. The clip circulated widely over the weekend.
Robinson posted a public apology on X on Sunday. He said he had spoken to the trainer after the game and checked whether she was all right. He also accepted responsibility for his conduct, saying that being worried about Stone did not excuse how he treated her.
Robinson said Stone was like family to him and that he feared his teammate might have been seriously hurt. He added that he should have kept his emotions under control and said he was sorry for letting down the trainer, himself and Duke’s program.
Stone was taken off the field after the injury. A stretcher was brought out, but he was ultimately able to walk to the locker room under his own power. The source report did not provide further details about the nature or severity of his injury.
Robinson and Stone are both redshirt juniors and have played together at Duke for four years, according to the report. Robinson, who is from Miramar, Florida, recorded three tackles against North Carolina.
The loss was Duke’s second straight in Atlantic Coast Conference play. The Blue Devils had opened the season with four wins, then lost to Georgia Tech and North Carolina by a combined seven points.
