Ex-Steelers LB Robert Spillane Exposed How Pittsburgh Lied To Him: "It's Hurts"

The Pittsburgh Steelers had middle linebacker Robert Spillane in the Steel City from 2019–2022. Spillane was by no means a superstar during his four seasons with Pittsburgh, but he carved out a solid role on the defense and earned the respect of teammates and coaches alike. He was a hard-nosed, physical player who embodied the gritty identity the Steelers have long been known for. After the 2022 season, he signed a two-year deal with the Las Vegas Raiders. Many assumed he was seeking a bigger opportunity and a more defined role. However, he explains that wasn't truly the case.

Since joining the Raiders, Spillane has had a few chances to face off against his former team, adding a layer of competition and emotion to those matchups. However, the separation between Spillane and the Steelers might not have been as clean as it seemed on the surface. On Tuesday, he joined the popular Bussin’ With The Boys podcast and opened up about his exit from Pittsburgh, shedding light on what really happened behind the scenes.

Spillane revealed that the Steelers had lied to him on his way out, making promises or giving indications that ultimately weren’t honored. He didn’t go into every detail, but the tone of his comments made it clear that the departure still stings. His story adds another chapter to the growing list of former Steelers expressing frustration with how things were handled internally, and it suggests that not everything was as straightforward as fans might have believed when he signed with Las Vegas.

"Before I went into free agency, they told me, 'Go out, test the market, see what you get. We're gonna offer whatever they give you. We wanna make you a Steeler. We love you,'" Spillane said. "I call them, 'I got an offer from the Raiders. I want to come back, what's the deal?' They were like, 'Good luck, have fun.'"

For Spillane, he went out and took the Steelers' advice. He called around and checked his current market value. The Raiders ended up offering him a two-year deal worth $7 million. 

The Steelers clearly felt that price was too steep and changed their tune about wanting him back. Spillane admits he understands the business side of things, but it still hurt.

"They didn't [want me back]," Spillane said. "It hurts to say that. It hurts to feel like that because you felt like you made all these great connections. You felt like you poured your heart on the line. You felt like you did everything to be a good team player. But at the end of the day, this is a business. They don't always want you back."

This isn’t the first time a former Steeler has spoken out about a lack of transparency when leaving the team. The truth is the Steelers and most NFL teams do try their very best to be transparent, but in such a business-driven, fast-moving league, situations change quickly and these kinds of misunderstandings happen.

Former Steelers LB Joins New England For 2025 Season

That seems to be exactly what happened with Spillane. The Steelers probably assumed he would test the market and that they could match any offer he received. However, when the Raiders came in with an offer they were not willing to match, the Steelers moved on. It is a simple business decision, but that does not change how a player feels about their exit. It is always interesting for Steelers fans to hear from former players about their departures, and in this case Spillane made it clear he never wanted to leave but had to because of a better offer.

Now Spillane is gearing up for the 2025 season with the New England Patriots. On March 13, 2025, he signed a three-year, $33 million contract to join New England, continuing his career on a new team after his time in Pittsburgh and Las Vegas.

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