The Pittsburgh Steelers are gearing up to face the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 6, and one player on the opposing team, in particular, is especially fired up for the matchup.
On October 10, Raiders.com team reporter Levi Edwards and ESPN beat reporter Paul Gutierrez both shared a quote from former Steelers linebacker Robert Spillane, now a starter and captain for Las Vegas.
“Leaving there has only grown the chip on my shoulder,” Spillane said. “At the end of the day, they had a chance to bring me back in free agency, but I’m here now, and I’m so thankful to be a Raider and I look forward to bringing it to them on Sunday.”
Players don’t always express their emotions so candidly before a revenge game, but Spillane didn’t hold back. He clearly feels Pittsburgh made a mistake by letting him go in 2023, and perhaps he’s right.
According to NFL analyst Daniel Valente of The Score, “Spillane leads the NFL in defensive stops with 34 [heading into Week 6], per Next Gen Stats.”
Meanwhile, “the highest Steelers inside LB is Patrick Queen, who is tied for 56th with 15 defensive stops. [And safety] DeShon Elliott is actually the highest-ranked Steelers player (t25th with 20 stops).”
In short, head coach Mike Tomlin’s defense could likely use someone like Spillane, especially given that Las Vegas is only paying him $3.5 million per year. Queen, who earns over $13.6 million annually with the Steelers, has not made the same impact.
Steelers HC Mike Tomlin Has ‘a Lot of Respect for’ Raiders LB Robert Spillane
While Spillane seems to be heading into the game with a sense of intensity, Tomlin spoke highly of him when discussing the Raiders on October 8.
“And then at the second level [of the Las Vegas defense], just got a lot of respect for Robert Spillane,” Tomlin said in Week 6. “Had a lot of respect for him when he was here in terms of his approach to business. It’s really good to see how his career has taken off in Las Vegas.”
“I think he’s their defensive captain,” Tomlin continued, noting Spillane’s ability to make big plays, not just his tackling skills. In 2023, Spillane recorded 148 total tackles, and Tomlin pointed out that the linebacker also forced three interceptions last season, proving his ability to “make plays on the ball.”
“[Spillane is] doing similar things for [the Raiders] this year,” Tomlin added. “He’s in all circumstances. He’s a really good communicator [and he’s] doing a really good job for those guys.”
Raiders Coaching Staff Praises Ex-Steelers’ Robert Spillane as ‘Bell Cow’ of the Defense
Spillane seems to have found a solid fit with Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, both of whom spoke highly of the linebacker in interviews with Edwards.
“[He’s] our bell cow,” Pierce said of Spillane. “If Maxx [Crosby] is our superhero, I mean, [Spillane] is the next thing we’ve got to it.”
“He’s been there every snap, has not missed one snap,” Pierce said. “Makes all the calls, makes all the checks. When you see him after the game, you see a guy that played balls to the wall. And nothing is more of a pleasure for me as a former linebacker to watch that from our middle linebacker
