Unsung heroes from the Pittsburgh Steelers 2022 season

Steelers have gotten the most out of Spillane

Robert Spillane is a name that doesn’t garner much praise out of Steelers nation. The former undrafted free agent was quite the underdog story, and he has already established himself as a key special teams player. His work on defense has always left a lot to be desired, as he plays with a lot of instinct but lacks the size and speed to be an impact player.

That said, the team clearly trusts him, and he has established himself as a starter during this final stretch of games. His play hasn’t been perfect, as his coverage is still an issue, but he is providing a dependable face to play at linebacker. The position as a whole has been a weak spot, and Spillane has arguably been the most consistent player of the group.

Devin Bush and Myles Jack, the initial starters of the group, have seen their respective roles shrink over the stretch in favor of Spillane and rookie Mark Robinson. This unit is a clear weak spot, but Spillane can be counted on as a known option. No, he isn’t flashy, and he can’t cover, but Spillane has become a fixture of this defense and deserves some praise.