Robert Spillane Bringing Durability to the Raiders

Las Vegas Raiders new linebacker Robert Spillane played every defensive and special teams snap for the Pittsburgh Steelers in their last nine games of the 2022 season.

The Las Vegas Raiders had to deal with their fair share of injuries last season, a setback that made it difficult to establish consistency.

With that serving as a major issue for a club that never quite got into a winning rhythm last season -- aside from a three-game win streak a bit over halfway through the season -- any time a player has a proven track record of availability, it stands out.

New Raiders linebacker and former Pittsburgh Steeler Robert Spillane was inactive for only one game of the 2022 season in his best NFL campaign yet.

Not only that, Spillane took the field for every defensive and special teams down for Pittsburgh in the club's final nine games of the season.

"One of the first things I learned when I came into the NFL under Mike Vrabel was: 'Availability is your best ability,'" Spillane said when he addressed the media after the Raiders' minicamp practice on Wednesday. "And that holds true to this day, and it will hold true as long as there's the NFL. I had a coach tell me in college: 'You're going to have to learn how to play hurt.' Guys get hurt all the time and even though you might be injured, you've got to learn how to play injured as well. So it's all about mental fortitude and being willing to go out there for your teammates to get the job done." 

Spillane is with a new club after spending four seasons in Pittsburgh. While it can be difficult to adjust to a new group and a new system, the 27-year-old linebacker is confident in the direction the defense is heading.

"Every year is a new year, new guys, new system," Spillane said. "I think we're really coming together well, and as long as we bring that blue collar toughness with us on Sundays, we should be good. So, communication is at a high, working together is at a high, but when we get the pads on, that's when the physicality comes in."

The Raiders signed Spillane as an unrestricted free agent in March.

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