Duke University cornerback Kimari Robinson has issued an apology after a video showing him striking away a female training staff member’s arm during a college football game sparked widespread criticism on social media.
The incident occurred on Saturday, October 17, 2026, during Duke’s matchup against North Carolina, when teammate DaShawn Stone was injured and receiving medical attention on the field.
Footage circulating online shows Kimari Robinson standing near Stone as two members of the team’s medical staff attended to the injured player. A third staff member subsequently approached and attempted to move Robinson aside to gain access to Stone.
Kimari Robinson reacted by forcefully swatting her arm away, an action that drew criticism after the video spread across social media platforms.
This, @DukeFOOTBALL can’t happen. Check out the 7-9 second mark where the female athletic trainer tries to get the player hovering to move so she can help and he swings his arm at her. He needs to listen to her and know where he should be. If not where is the line? https://t.co/o7VAg4fxlm
— Kevin Kelley (@coachkelley1) October 17, 2026
Addressing the controversy on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday night, Robinson acknowledged that his behaviour was unacceptable and expressed regret over the incident.
He explained that his reaction stemmed from concern for Stone, whom he considers a family member, as he feared his teammate might have suffered a serious injury. However, he admitted that his concern did not justify his treatment of the staff member.
Kimari Robinson accepted responsibility for losing control of his emotions and apologised to the woman, his teammates and the Duke football programme. He also acknowledged that he needed to handle such situations more appropriately.
https://t.co/wHbfy4zhKP
— Kimari Robinson (@krobinson7__) October 19, 2026
The incident has placed the Duke defensive back under scrutiny as the video continues to circulate online.
Robinson, a redshirt cornerback who regularly features in Duke’s starting lineup, is part of a team that fell to a 4-2 record following its 24-20 defeat against North Carolina on Saturday.