The Pittsburgh Steelers have been retooling their offense for the past two seasons after the retirement of future NFL Hall Of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger at the end of the 2021 season. Those changes include drafting a new quarterback Kenny Pickett last year, as well as adding a host of other new offensive players.
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Kenny Pickett (8) Scores Against The New York Jets
One of those new offensive members is Allen Robinson. Robinson, who was originally drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft, spent the last season with the Los Angeles Rams.
The addition of Robinson to the roster has been met with some mixed results by the media. He has been a bit of a journeyman the past few years and on paper, it appears his ability never met his potential. However, there are a number of mitigating circumstances that might have impacted his success.
The Steelers were able to work out a favorable contract situation for Robinson, which makes it a bit of a low-risk high-reward acquisition. This certainly is a bit of a "prove it" year for him, whether it is to earn and keep a spot in Pittsburgh, or to find a spot in another city. Robinson is eager to prove that he's got what it takes.
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Allen Robinson is putting in the hard work at OTAs.
Steelers' Allen Robinson On Being In Pittsburgh
Robinson appeared on a recent episode of The Rich Eisen Show and spoke with Tom Pelissero about how happy he is to be in Pittsburgh, what he sees in Kenny Pickett, and coming full circle with Mike Tomlin.
Pelissero asked Robinson what he sees in second-year quarterback Pickett which leads him to believe that Pickett has what it takes to succeed in the NFL. Robinson said that the biggest quality he sees in Pickett, other than his talent, is his leadership abilities.
"When I say a leader, he's a guy who has great command. Seeing his command as a second-year player, it's pretty remarkable. You don't see many guys able to take the bull by the horns, how he's able to do that and get the command of everybody."
Robinson goes on to say this isn't just something that appears during scrimmages or games, but in everything he does, including film study, practice, drills, etc.
"It typically takes a little longer for guys to go through that maturation process. He's already on top of that, since day one."
The whole offense is gelling together nicely based on Robinson's observations. He said the whole unit is making progress, which is the goal during this time of the offseason.
Matt Freed / Associated Press
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (14) celebrates a touchdown with quarterback Kenny Pickett, a fellow rookie, in a 28-14 victory against the Cleveland Browns in Pittsburgh, Jan. 8, 2023.
Robinson's last few seasons have been a mixed bag that included a foot injury, as well as numerous quarterback and team changes. He also was moved from the slot to the outside to accommodate Rams star, Cooper Kupp. While Robinson was always professional and a team-first player, he voiced that being out of position negatively impacted his time with the team and the impression he made on other teams that might've wanted to sign him.
Pelissero inquired how Robinson sees himself fitting in with the Steelers, and what kind of role is he making for himself there. He is sharing the wide receiver room in Pittsburgh with a lot of big personalities and impressive talents including Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, and Calvin Austin III.
"I think the most unique thing is that our receiving room, between me, George, and Diontae, we all have different skill sets. I've been able to come in and learn the whole landscape of the offense, that's playing X, Z, F, or whatever so I can be utilized in whatever way they need me."
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ALLEN ROBINSON #8 OF THE PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS RUNS AFTER MAKING A CATCH AGAINST THE NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS DURING THE GAME ON OCTOBER 6, 2012 AT BEAVER STADIUM IN STATE COLLEGE, PA.
As a former Penn State Nittany Lions WR, Robinson is very familiar with Pittsburgh and Head Coach Mike Tomlin, who came to see him during his Pro Day. Pelissero asked him about those interactions with Tomlin from almost 10 years ago.
Robinson said that Tomlin and the Steelers' then-offensive coordinator, Todd Haley, was running the drills and there were only two receivers participating. He said at some point the other receiver left and it was just him running routes over and over for Tomlin and Haley. He expressed a feeling of pride over Tomlin remarking that he liked what he saw.
He remarked that in the NFL you never know how things will work out so these first impressions can have a big impact. Obviously, Robinson made a positive impression on Tomlin and vice versa. Robinson said Tomlin is exactly that person you see on TV - high energy, intense. But the thing that impressed him the most is Tomlin's attention to detail.
"As a veteran, you start to cherish some of the small things. For me, coming off the injury, to hear Coach Tomlin and how he gets prepared on a day-to-day basis - whether it's from drill to drill, or for meetings, or whatever. Taking care of the small things, and being attentive to the details. It is a big reason he's been able to have success in this league, not a day goes by where we aren't locked into the little things."
One thing is for sure in 2023, and that is Pickett has lots of eager and willing targets on offense. Robinson provides veteran leadership to a young receiving core. It will be interesting to see how the Steelers manage to feed everyone the ball under a Matt Canada offense.
How do you think Robinson will fit in? Do you think that was a positive acquisition? Click to comment below.
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