Steelers' Elandon Roberts Pushed To Confess Knowledge Of Patriots' Cheating Scandals

The Pittsburgh Steelers and the New England Patriots had a rivalry as intense as any two conference foes could have. The games pitted masterminds against each other at nearly every position, like at quarterback with the Steelers led by Ben Roethlisberger, and the Patriots by Tom Brady. The two coaches, Mike Tomlin and Bill Belichick, seem to have nothing in common personality wise, but are both considered defensive gurus. 

While the Patriots came out on top in many of those games, their otherwise perfect era is marred by accusations of cheating. From Spygate to Deflategate, the Patriots stayed atop the league's most hated list. While it is easy for the Patriots to say things like, "They hate us, 'cause they ain't us," implying that other teams are just jealous, there were also legitimate concerns.  

The cheating scandals come up frequently, and former Steelers, including Roethlisberger and James Harrison, have spoken out that they believe New England took some inappropriate liberties. The Patriots even admitted to wrongdoing in the Spygate scandal, where they were accused of stealing other teams' signals.  

That's why it isn't surprising that Steelers defender Cameron Heyward would ask his teammate Elandon Roberts about it on his podcast, Not Just Football with Cam Heyward. Roberts began his career in New England when they selected him in the sixth round in 2016. He won two Super Bowls with them before signing with the Miami Dolphins in 2020. He is now in his second season with the Steelers.    

Heyward asked Roberts to explain the cheating they did when he was in New England. When Roberts feigned ignorance with a laugh, Heyward asked him if he was trying to say they didn't cheat.

"[What do you] mean," asked Roberts with a smirk. "Every week, we prepared the hardest we could for a game."

New Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen was also with Roberts on the show, and he shook his head, saying Roberts would need to "Plead the fifth." Heyward pushed Queen to state his beliefs about the cheating scandal, but Queen said he wouldn't get involved. 

Of course, Queen wasn't even in the league yet when this happened. The final cheating accusation was in 2019, Brady's last season with the team. A Patriots staff member was caught in the Cincinnati Bengals' press box taking a video that included a tape of the Bengals' sideline. 

While both Roberts and Queen were members of teams that were the arch-nemesis of the Steel City, they have now come around to play for the good guys. They have both shown they are thrilled to be dressed in black and gold and have been fully embraced by their teammates. 

Steelers' Elandon Roberts Emerging As A Leader

When Roberts joined the Steelers in 2023, it was as a part of a hopeful inside linebacker room. The Steelers had been struggling at that position for years and finally felt they were onto something. They had signed Roberts, as well as Cole Holcomb and Kwon Alexander. 

Then tragedy struck, and Alexander and Holcomb both suffered season-ending injuries. That left Roberts as the de facto leader of the group. He took the job seriously and has returned in 2024, more vocal than ever. 

Now partnered across from Queen, the two have been making noise at training camp. They recently engaged in a scuffle with running backs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. Roberts recently recounted a tale for the media about how he and his roommate Queen play to go after the running backs every day.  

It isn't surprising that the two are matching each other's energy. Queen has been quite vocal about wanting to be the "villain" for the Steelers' defense. These two inside linebackers are giving Steelers fans hope that all defensive woes can be solved. 

What do you think about all the cheating and how the league handled it? Click to comment below.

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