Kimari Robinson Apologizes for Swatting Away a Duke Trainer: What Manny Diaz Said on Monday
Duke cornerback Kimari Robinson apologized publicly for swatting away the arm of a member of Duke’s training staff during Saturday’s 24-20 loss to North Carolina, and on Monday head coach Manny Diaz declined to say whether the redshirt junior will face discipline.
Here is what the video shows, and only what it shows. Midway through the third quarter at Wallace Wade Stadium, Duke safety DaShawn Stone stayed down on his back after a tackle. Robinson stood over him while two male staffers worked. A female member of the training staff ran in and moved Robinson aside so she could kneel and treat Stone. Robinson swatted her hand away with his right arm, then stepped back in over Stone. He remained there until Diaz and defensive coordinator Jonathan Patke came onto the field.
A stretcher was brought out for Stone. Stone walked to the locker room.
Robinson’s Statement
Robinson posted on his own X account on Sunday night. “I was completely wrong, and she did not deserve that,” he wrote.
“The injured player on the ground, DaShawn Stone, is like family to me, and I was scared he might be seriously hurt,” the statement continued. “But being worried about him does not excuse how I treated her. I should have controlled my emotions, and I didn’t. I’m truly sorry for my actions and for letting her, myself and our program down. I have to be better than that.”
According to The Associated Press, Robinson also said he apologized to her directly after the game and checked that she was okay.
Diaz Would Not Go Further
At his weekly news conference on Monday, Diaz said the “recent behavior” of one of his players had “fallen well below” the program’s standard.
“Kimari has apologized privately, he’s apologized publicly, and that is now a matter that will be handled internally,” Diaz said, “and that’s all I’m going to say about that for now.”
Asked whether the apology went far enough and whether discipline was coming, Diaz repeated the formula: “As I said, all those are being handled internally, and we’re confident in our plan with that.” He called his conversations with Robinson “private between he and I” and said he was not surprised by the attention the clip drew.
No suspension, penalty or formal review has been announced or reported by any named source. Duke University and Duke Athletics have issued no separate statement, so Diaz’s remarks are the only institutional comment. There was no in-game penalty or ejection. The staffer has not been publicly identified and has not commented.
The Reaction Got Ahead of the Facts
The clip moved fast and the misinformation moved faster. Robert Griffin III posted that the incident “just can’t happen” and that there were “no excuses for it.” Anonymous accounts ran suspension polls. At least one widely shared post claimed Robinson had been suspended indefinitely, sourced to a handle imitating a real reporter’s name. No outlet has reported a suspension, and Diaz’s own answers on Monday point the other way.
Take the apology at face value or do not. Robinson named what he did, declined to hide behind the moment, and said plainly that the person who got the worst of it did not deserve it. That is more than most public apologies manage.
Duke Plays Friday
North Carolina took the Victory Bell back for the first time since 2023. The Tar Heels led 17-0 in the second quarter after scoring on their first three possessions, and Duke rallied before Jaylen McGill’s 24-yard touchdown run put UNC ahead late. On third-and-14 with 19 seconds left, freshman Kenton Dopson III intercepted Duke quarterback Walker Eget to end it.
Duke is 4-2 overall and 1-2 in the ACC. North Carolina, in Bill Belichick’s second season, is 4-2 and 2-1. The Blue Devils visit Virginia on Friday.
Whatever Diaz decides, he has four days to decide it.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
