Raiders Q&A: Getting to know Amik Robertson

Amik Robertson has made a young NFL career out of proving others wrong.

The cornerback often did so way before he turned pro.

A fourth-round pick of the Raiders in 2020, the 5-foot-8-inch Robertson made one of the season’s biggest plays with a last-second interception in the end zone against the Green Bay Packers on “Monday Night Football.”

The Review-Journal sat down with Robertson to learn a little more about him.

RJ: Where does your constant energy come from?

Robertson: The love of the game. That’s where all my passion comes from. I’ve been playing the game since I was 5 years old. My uncle gave me a football then, and ever since, I’ve just been in love with it. I would play it for free.

RJ: It seems like you’ve always overcome odds to find your place in the game and succeed. Why?

Robertson: Because I’m used to people saying that. I’m not out to prove things just to myself, but I want to prove it to everyone. I’ve been doing that my whole life. That’s what helped me get here — being counted out, being able to beat the odds. I like it. It fuels me.

RJ: Ryan Clark, a 13-year NFL safety and Super Bowl champion who works for ESPN, had a lot of nice things to say about you during a recent broadcast. Where does that relationship stem from?

Robertson: We’ve known each other since I was in high school in (Thibodaux, Louisiana). I was an unknown, undersized guy, and he was doing some coaching. We also met at an LSU camp. He saw I was a passionate player. I also trained with him when I was coming out for the draft.

RJ: How has being so versatile helped your NFL career?

Robertson: A lot because I’m a football player. Personally, I’m a jack-of-all-trades. I can play corner, nickel. At the end of the day, I’m just looking for an opportunity to be on the field. I’ll do whatever I can to make plays. I’m always around the ball. Always trying to give the team a spark.

RJ: What have you learned most about playing in the NFL?

Robertson: The speed of the game. What I had to adjust to. I’ve learned a lot in terms of concepts, formations. I’ve learned from a lot of the older guys around here. I pick their brains. They’ve been in the league a long time.

RJ: Do you have interests outside football?

Robertson: You know what’s crazy, man, I watch a lot of movies. It keeps my mind at ease. If I’m not spending time with family, I’m watching movies.

RJ: You were an All-American at Louisiana Tech. Did that give you some juice to know Louisiana State made a mistake by not offering you a scholarship?

Robertson: No, but (former LSU coach Ed) Orgeron did apologize to me. He came to me at a camp at Louisiana Tech and said he was sorry. It was all good. I told him everything happens for a reason. We shook hands and had some good conversations after that.

RJ: You tweeted this week, “I know who I am. I stand alone.” What does that mean?

Robertson: Whatever the critics say, it doesn’t matter. I feel like when I’m out there, I know what I can do. I believe in myself. Coming in, I harped on what people said about me. But now, I’m a better player and feed off my own energy. I feed off my teammates’ energy. I know who I am, not who I was.”

RJ: What’s the main cultural difference between where you grew up and Las Vegas?

Robertson: Las Vegas is bigger, faster. I’m from a small country town in Louisiana, man. I don’t really get into the bright lights of Vegas. My first and second year, if I went to the Strip, it was with family. I don’t do that much anymore.

RJ: Have you found any good Cajun food in Las Vegas?

Robertson: Oh, yeah. There are a few really good spots I go to. There are definitely some. I love it here. I underestimated it at first, but once I got here, I found it to be really good.

Contact sports columnist Ed Graney at egraney@reviewjournal.com. Follow @edgraney on X.