The former England and Newcastle manager received the Lifetime Achievement Award at Sunday's BBC Sports Personality of the Year show.
The award recognises his contribution as both player and manager in a career spanning more than half a century.
Robson: "I am absolutely delighted to be here to receive this prestigious award. It's a terrific honour.
"Nobody wins anything on their own.
"This award really is an extension and opportunity for me to say thank you very much to everybody that has supported me."
Sir Alex Ferguson: "To retain that enthusiasm and love for the game is an amazing achievement. It's a miracle."
Players from the 1986 and 1990 England World Cup sides and Ipswich teams he led to the 1978 FA Cup and 1981 Uefa Cup wins formed a guard of honour.
His professional playing career spanned nearly 20 years during which he played for Fulham, West Bromwich Albion and Vancouver Royals.
He also made 20 appearances for England, scoring four goals.
He managed Ipswich from 1969 to 1982 before taking the England job.
After spells in Europe with PSV Eindhoven, Sporting Lisbon and Barcelona he returned to England to take the helm at Newcastle from 1999 to 2004.
Previous winners of the Lifetime Achievement Award include Bjorn Borg (2006), Pele (2005), Sir Ian Botham (2004), Martina Navratilova (2003), George Best (2002) and Sir Alex Ferguson (2001).