Damien Robinson
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| Position: | Safety | ||||||||
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| Date of birth: | December 22, 1973 | ||||||||
| Place of birth: | Dallas, Texas | ||||||||
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| College: | Iowa | ||||||||
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Damien Robinson (born December 22, 1973) is a former safety of the NFL. He played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Jets, and Seattle Seahawks. He attended college at the University of Iowa.
During the 2000 NFL season, Robinson was one of the league's leading Free Safeties with 6 interceptions and 11 passes. Robinson is best known for the November 4, 2001 event at the Louisiana Superdome. His Jets were leading the New Orleans Saints, 16-9, late in the ball game. After a routine offensive play, Robinson inexplicably grabbed the face mask of Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks and continually pulled at the mask, bending Brooks backwards. Saints offensive lineman Kyle Turley was furious, and proceeded to grab Robinson's hands, forcing him to release Brooks, before picking him up by the face mask and tackling him to the ground as referees and players from both teams tried to separate them. Turley emerged from the ensuing scrum with Robinson's helmet and proceeded to fling it across the field before making an obscene gesture. Robinson later was fined $20,000 by the NFL for his actions.