New Steelers WR Robinson eager to contribute, share knowledge with younger players
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Pittsburgh has no shortage of stunning vistas.
Too bad for Allen Robinson II that for his first three years’ worth of regular visits to the city, the perspective of Pittsburgh he was given wasn’t exactly that of a Mt. Washington overlook.
“We would take the Megabus, and one of the stops was at the Convention Center in Pittsburgh,” Robinson said Monday, referencing his college days. “So we spent a lot of days and weekends going from Penn State to Detroit, passing through Pittsburgh.”
Robinson surely flew first class to Pittsburgh for his latest visit, one that is at least a little more permanent. His first stop these days isn’t the tunnel-like bunker throughway under David L. Lawrence Convention Center but UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.
And his arrival in Pittsburgh to join the Steelers came by way of what was merely “passing through” Los Angeles.
A soon-to-be 30-year-old about to embark on his 10th NFL season, Robinson was acquired via trade with the Rams to add some veteran savvy to a young Steelers receiving corps.
“Being able to help these guys out with just some of the experience that I’ve had in different situations on the field and off the field, I like to give as much knowledge to some of my younger teammates as possible,” Robinson said during an introductory news conference Monday. “For me, being able to be a vet in this league and to be able to play now going into my 10th year, I feel like I’ve gained so much knowledge on the field and off the field that has helped me in my career, and I’m always looking forward to passing that along.”
Allen Robinson, newest Steelers WR pic.twitter.com/Kk1HthNp0J
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) April 24, 2023
Robinson has 528 career catches, 6,748 receiving yards and 43 touchdowns in 110 NFL games, including three seasons of at least 1,100 yards, two of at least 98 receptions and one in which he tied for the league lead with 14 touchdowns.
Of course, that was eight years — and three teams — ago for Robinson, who was available for a mere swap of seventh-round picks with L.A. after a season in which he was limited to 33 catches for 339 yards.
Robinson’s season ended because of a stress fracture in his right foot. That ailment will limit his participation in spring practices, but Robinson is expected to be cleared for full participation by the start of training camp.
“I feel very good about where I’m at,” said Robinson, who noted that his best pro season (2015) came the year after a stress fracture in his other foot ended his season the year prior to that.
Robinson needed to pass a physical last week before the Steelers would sign off on the trade, one in which the Rams are picking up a significant portion of the salary he is owed during the second year of a three-year, $46.5 million contract signed last spring.
General manager Omar Khan said team physicians “felt really good” about the state of Robinson’s foot. Khan said he and coach Mike Tomlin had been targeting a veteran wideout this spring to supplement a solid outside twosome of Diontae Johnson and George Pickens.
“We’re excited that we were able to get it all done with Allen,” Khan said. “Once the medical was confirmed to be OK, it was easy for us.”
Allen Robinson meets with the Steelers media Monday. pic.twitter.com/pQWF8aeodh
— Joe Rutter (@tribjoerutter) April 24, 2023
Tomlin recalled spending time with Robinson and his family during the lead-up to the 2014 draft, one Robinson entered after leaving Penn State after a junior season in which he earned all-Big Ten recognition for a second consecutive year.
Over the past seven seasons, Robinson has played roughly 30% of his snaps running out of the slot, the position he is expected to hold for the Steelers.
“He has physicality in his game,” Tomlin said.
Coming off an unproductive year that he characterized as a poor fit with the Rams — “If you’re a fork, you don’t want to be used as a spoon,” he said — Robinson is happy to be back in the Commonwealth.
“I don’t think words can describe how it feels playing at Happy Valley,” Robinson said, “and just from the fanbase that I’ve seen here from the time I played in Pittsburgh, seeing that was a very similar feeling here.”