When Mark Robinson was included in a jumbled list of Pittsburgh Steelers roster cuts two days before the deadline, many fans were surprised. Robinson spent his first three seasons as a special teams ace. Over the past two years, Robinson played in all 38 games while logging 603 snaps on special teams.
Quickly after being released by the Steelers ahead of roster cuts, Robinson landed back on his feet—signing with the New England Patriots' practice squad.
This loss doesn't appear significant on paper. The Steelers elected to keep rookie Carson Bruener as the team's fifth linebacker and send Robinson packing. But recent history suggests cutting Robinson could prove to be a mistake.
Mark Robinson could take the Robert Spillane route after leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers
Mark Robinson started just four games during his time in Pittsburgh, but we know that he's a ferocious downhill linebacker who loves to hit. The 2022 seventh-round pick and former college running back convert makes up for his compact frame by being a battering ram on defense, and the Steelers even experimented with him at fullback during training camp.
Landing with the Patriots feels like a perfect fit for Robinson. Though the young linebacker still needs to work his way up the ladder and get elevated to the active roster before he can make an impact, there's an avenue for that to happen quickly, thanks to his special teams chops.
But Robinson may have more to offer than what Steelers fans thought.
Following the 2022 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers moved on from Robert Spillane, a veteran linebacker who played four seasons in Pittsburgh—mostly in a minor role. Like Robinson, Spillane had modest size and athletic traits, but his physicality made up for his limitations.
Since parting with Spillane, the veteran linebacker has been excellent with the Las Vegas Raiders, racking up a whopping 306 tackles, 17 tackles for a loss, and recording five interceptions over the past two seasons.
Spillane isn't the only recent example of an underwhelming linebacker who left Pittsburgh and proved to be a better player. Busted 2019 first-round pick Devin Bush is coming off an impressive 2024 season with the Cleveland Browns. In 16 games last season, Bush earned a top-10 PFF grade among all qualifying NFL linebackers.
The Pittsburgh Steelers will face the New England Patriots in Week 3. There's a chance Mark Robinson could be elevated by then and play a role on defense. Robinson might not be the next Robert Spillane, but the Steelers will miss his tone-setting presence on special teams.