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Dunta Robinson On Jeremy Maclin Hit: 'I'm Not A Dirty Player'

Atlanta Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson on what he saw while lining up for that penalized hit on Philadelphia Eagles receiver Jeremy Maclin:

I saw a guy catch the ball and I saw him turn upfield. It's my job to get him on the ground. This is a physical game. It's not about being dirty. I'm not a dirty player. I've never been labeled a dirty player, but I do play hard. It's just about getting guys on the ground. It's a rough game. You just play until the whistle blows. I definitely didn't think it was an illegal or a dirty hit.

In response to a question on whether he's gaining a reputation as a player who commits these types of hits:

I'm just playing football. I'm not thinking about things like that. I'm not thinking [I want to] knock myself out or other guys out. Just go out there and play hard. I've been a hitter since I was seven years old. In Pop Warner I was knocking guys out of football games. It's not about being dirty.

Unfortunately, Robinson was labeled a dirty player even before Sunday night, fairly or not. While I don't suspect he intends to hurt anybody, he's got to get his tackling form cleaned up.

For reaction, head to Falcons blog The Falcoholic and Eagles blog Bleeding Green Nation.

Photographs by coka_koehler used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.