"Good S*** Boy": Titans' Daren Bates Told Steelers' Robert Spillane After Massive Hit On Derrick Henry

The Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker room looks vastly different in 2023. Essentially everyone from last year's unit, aside from 2022 seventh-rounder Mark Robinson, left in free agency. Robert Spillane was one of those departures, as he played the past four seasons with Pittsburgh. A favorite of Mike Tomlin’s over the years, the linebacker signed a two-year, $9 million deal with the Las Vegas Raiders this offseason. 

For the first time since 2018, he will don a uniform that’s not black and gold. The Steelers will get to play him this season too, as they will travel to Vegas in Week 3 for Sunday Night Football. Recently, former Tennessee Titans linebacker Daren Bates talked about a vivid memory that he had when he was with the team via his podcast Raw Room. If you're a Steelers fan, you know just what he's talking about.

"Shoutout Robert Spillane bruh, Spleezy, my dawg. I'm always going to remember when [it was] like 3rd and goal on the goal line, they run that dive with Derrick Henry to the goal line. You think Derrick Henry gonna get in that b**** from two yards out, but all you see is number 41 come down that b**** and hit his a**. I wanted to cheer because he used to be on the Titans."

That hit by Spillane, which took place in 2020, helped put his name on the map a bit more. Other than his pick-6 on Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson also in 2020, it's the most memorable highlight of the linebacker's career in Pittsburgh, as he showed no fear slowing down the game's most ferocious running back. Spillane actually played his first NFL season in Tennessee, where he was teammates with Bates and Henry.

Not only did he prevent a touchdown, but the Steelers linebacker did it on one of the game's best. Henry has racked up three Pro Bowl appearances, along with winning AP Offensive Player of the Year in 2020. That season, the same year in which Spillane made that hit, Henry ran for 2,027 yards and 17 touchdowns. Bates recalled what he and his teammates said to Spillane after the contest.

"He hurt [himself] though, he concussed [himself]. After the game, we were like, 'Good s*** boy!' Aye, we were hype. Even TJ Watt though got in [on that hit]. I think that man said he like bent his face mask. You see he laid there for a minute too afterwards. He was HURT," Bates said via Raw Room.

Spillane actually suffered a shoulder injury from the massive hit, which he admitted took everything out of him. He got the opportunity to start after Devin Bush suffered a season-ending injury early in the year. As a result, the physical defender made a career-high seven starts in 2020. In his four years with the Steelers, Spillane racked up 191 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and eight pass deflections. 

Spillane played a career-high 59% of the team's defensive snaps in 2022, so his presence will be missed. Thankfully for the defense, the front office made a few huge signings this offseason in Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts. Perhaps as importantly, Spillane had become a core member on Danny Smith's special teams unit. The Western Michigan product played 702 special teams snaps with the Steelers. 

Will Kwiatkoski replace Spillane's role for Steelers?

In 2022, Spillane actually played just 134 (33%) snaps for Smith's group, which was actually a career-low in Pittsburgh. Now, the team replaced his presence with a veteran like Nick Kwiatkoski just a few weeks ago. Through all of the impressive moments from Spillane, his hit on Derrick Henry will always be the most memorable.

Was the hit on Henry your favorite memory of Spillane's four years in Pittsburgh? How much will the team miss his presence on defense and special teams? Are you confident that Kwiatkoski will replace Spillane's versatility? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, yinz!

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