To understand how Robert Spillane became the malleable puzzle piece in the middle of the Steelers defense, you have to start at the beginning.
Back when Spillane first strapped on the pads, the Oak Park, Ill., native lined up under center at quarterback. His coach, Teddy Chambers, put the playbook in his signal caller’s hands, allowing Spillane to coordinate the offense himself.
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Oh yeah, one more thing … he was in fifth grade.
“The fact that I had a coach who believed in me at that young of an age to call an offensive game, that gave me the confidence to continue to learn about football,” Spillane said. “It’s only grown from there.”
It sure has.
Officially, Spillane is listed on the Steelers depth chart as an inside linebacker. In that sense, he’s been part of a three-man rotation this season, splitting time with Myles Jack and Devin Bush.
On Sunday, his playing time took a significant jump, when Jack’s nagging knee injury thrust Spillane into a starting role. The 6-foot-1, 229-pound Spillane embraced the opportunity, playing all 47 defensive snaps — the first time he’s played 100 percent of the snaps in a game this season — and racking up a team-leading seven tackles. That included a critical fourth down stop of Andy Dalton on a QB sneak, which helped seal Sunday’s victory over the Saints.
Moooood @14rspillane@Budlight | #BudLightCelly pic.twitter.com/gkbk7ub0xB
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) November 13, 2022
“I was ready to go,” Spillane said. “I prepare myself to be a starter every week. So when the opportunity arose, I was ready for it.”
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But for Spillane — a football junkie who will tell anyone who will listen that he will be a coach one day — his job description is often broader than one single position. His holistic view of the game extends beyond just defense, and his unique training regimen sometimes has little to do with football.
Spillane is the grandson of 1953 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Lattner, so football has been in his family’s blood for generations. Even as a kid, he played any position that would get him into the action.
“I played every position on the field, whether that be center, right guard, defensive end, corner, safety,” Spillane said. “I think that versatility has definitely helped me develop my game and understand what’s going on.”
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After a standout career at the Chicago-area Fenwick High School, Spillane was recruited by P.J. Fleck to play running back at Western Michigan. A somewhat under-the-radar three-star prospect, Spillane eventually made the transition to linebacker. He’d go on to rack up 312 tackles (32.5 for loss), 10 sacks, four interceptions, nine pass breakups and a pair of second-team All-MAC honors over four seasons.
“Robert is a throwback,” Fleck told reporters in Western Michigan years back. “Robert probably should have played back in the ’60s and ’70s. That’s how tough he is. He’s an old-school player in a new era of football.”
Spillane’s path through professional football only reinforced that identity and encouraged him to expand his knowledge of the game. Overlooked at the draft, he signed with the Tennessee Titans as a free agent in 2018. The following season, he made the jump to Pittsburgh, where he began the upward climb from practice squad to special teamer to backup linebacker.
He was still mostly toiling on the outskirts of the roster until 2020, when Bush’s torn ACL provided an opportunity to step into a starting role. His pad-rattling goal-line stand against Derrick Henry and his pick six against Lamar Jackson helped prove himself to the coaching staff and his teammates.
Robert Spillane's family was hype for his pick-six on Sunday 🙌 @14rspillane @steelers
(via dlatto) pic.twitter.com/g2rj687UHx
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) November 2, 2020
“He’s a very versatile player,” T.J. Watt said. “He can blitz well. He can cover well, and he’s just a good communicator. That’s super important, especially when we’re at home (and the fans are loud). He did a great job today of just communicating, and he made some big plays for us.”
In years since his Steelers defensive debut, Spillane has carved out a niche for himself thanks in large part to his preparation, versatility and communication skills. That’s especially been on display this season when Pittsburgh has unveiled a personnel grouping with all three inside linebackers on the field at the same time.
What’s unique about that package, really, is Spillane’s role within it. Sometimes, he’s representing a safety. Sometimes he’s a nickel. Sometimes he’s a will linebacker. Other times, he’s a sam ‘backer. Spillane calls himself the “adjuster” in those situations, adapting his responsibilities based on the defensive call, the offensive formation and pre-snap shifts.
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“I’ve always strived to have a deep understanding of defensive football,” Spillane said. “I’ve studied the game for many years, and I never wanted to just understand what the linebackers were doing. I always want to have a big-picture mentality. I love doing what I do, so I take it to heart. I really study the game and understand what’s going on around me.”
The 26-year-old linebacker not only embraces that role, but he hopes to see it grow. Spillane is quick to point out that he was part of some goal-line offensive packages on the scout team during his first season in Pittsburgh. He jokes that he’s still lobbying for a few snaps on that side of the ball.
Then you realize he’s not joking.
“I’m still waiting for my opportunity to play some slot receiver,” Spillane said. “I still run routes every day.”
This cross-training approach extends into the offseason. Spillane designs his unique training plan that draws from many different disciplines. Sometimes he’s running routes and playing basketball. Other times he’s training with his eyes closed to develop body awareness. As a new challenge during this most recent offseason, he did 30 consecutive days of hot yoga.
“I’m sweating after four minutes and grandpa next to me doesn’t start sweating until minute 60,” Spillane said. “You don’t feel so good about yourself.”
All of this is in an effort to broaden his skill set and develop his “full athletic potential.”
“I never tried to put a box on myself,” Spillane said. “I believe that I’m just kind of scraping the surface of where I can be.”
Part of the reason Spillane prepares like this is that he’s made it his mission to become a coach one day. Mike Tomlin said that “every day” Spillane displays attributes of someone studying to be a coach.
“We have a lot of guys with that mentality and maybe those aspirations,” Tomlin said. “I tell each and every one of them, ‘Don’t quit your day job, man. There’s more money in playing.’ But I just think as a coach, as somebody that loves football, you appreciate that shared spirit.”
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It remains to be seen how Spillane’s role on the Steelers defense may evolve, this year and beyond. When Jack is healthy, Spillane has typically played around 35 percent of the defensive snaps, with Jack near 90 percent and Bush close to 70 percent. Spillane is also scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent for the first time — as is Bush— this spring.
But based on his passion for the game and preparation, it’s safe to say the kid who called his own plays as a youth quarterback will likely be making many more play calls long after his career is over.
(Photo: Justin K. Aller / Getty Images)
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