After Ryan Shazier suffered a career-ending harm, the Pittsburgh Steelers had been left with a void at inside linebacker. Shazier’s harm got here out of nowhere, and the Steelers had been left scrambling. Right now, they’ve discovered high quality items at that place, however they needed to cycle by way of a variety of guys in the course of the time in between.
Robert Spillane was one of many gamers who the Steelers gave an opportunity. Spillane created an NFL profession for himself with the Steelers, however he left Pittsburgh after the 2022 season. Not too long ago, he offered particulars on that break up.
“Earlier than I went into free company, they informed me, ‘Exit, check the market, see what you get. We’re gonna supply no matter they provide you. We wanna make you a Steeler. We love you,’” Spillane stated just lately on the Bussin’ with the Boys podcast. “I name them, ‘I bought a proposal from the Raiders. I wish to come again, what’s the deal?’ They had been like, ‘Good luck, have enjoyable.’”
Spillane was with the Steelers from 2019-22. In that point, he grew from a particular groups participant right into a starter. He made essentially the most of his alternatives, most notably stopping Derrick Henry on the purpose line in a violent collision.
Spillane’s physicality seemingly made him match for the Steelers, however the union didn’t final. After 2022, he signed a two-year deal with the Las Vegas Raiders. Nonetheless, as he revealed, Spillane wished to stick with the Steelers. It was the group that opted to let him go away.
Throughout that very same podcast, Spillane revealed that he nonetheless feels some ache concerning the Steelers not wanting him again.
“They didn’t. It hurts to say that. It hurts to really feel like that since you felt such as you made all these nice connections,” he stated. “You felt such as you poured your coronary heart on the road. You felt such as you did every little thing to be group participant. However on the finish of the day, this can be a enterprise. They don’t at all times need you again.”
Spillane is right. Within the NFL, job safety isn’t promised. Even legends discover themselves struggling to stay with one group. Whereas Spillane was a nice participant, the Steelers selected to not give him the identical supply that the Raiders did.
As a substitute, the Steelers overhauled their inside linebacker room. That very same offseason, they signed Cole Holcomb, Elandon Roberts and Kwon Alexander. Whereas Spillane continued to succeed with the Raiders, these gamers began off effectively with the Steelers. It regarded like they solved that place.
Sadly, Holcomb and Alexander suffered main accidents in the course of the 2023 season. Roberts put collectively two good seasons with the Steelers, however he left them this offseason. Now, Holcomb is working again from an harm, whereas Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson are the Steelers’ beginning center linebackers.
Whereas he’s dissatisfied that the Steelers didn’t hold him, Spillane has blossomed exterior of Pittsburgh. He began each recreation throughout his two years with the Raiders. That led to him signing a large contract with the New England Patriots this offseason. It implies that the Steelers will face Spillane in Week 3 this 12 months. He’ll have one other alternative to point out them why they made a mistake letting him go.
