Given the unique and rare continuity Mike Tomlin has as a head coach, manning the Pittsburgh Steelers’ since 2007, he can reach into old draft files every free agency and look back on reports of players who were once prospects and now are veterans. The Steelers have had a habit of signing those names and collected a couple of them this offseason in LB Elandon Roberts and WR Allen Robinson II.
For Robinson, he believes his Pro Day workout helped catch the NFL’s eye. And though Mike Tomlin didn’t draft him, he got him into Pittsburgh for 2023. Speaking with NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, filling in for Rich Eisen on the Rich Eisen Show, Robinson reflected on his unique Pro Day experience.
“The offensive coordinator for the Steelers that day was kind of running our workout, Coach [Todd] Haley,” Robinson told Pelissero. “So him and Coach Tomlin were both kind of front and center when it came to that. It was me and just one other receiver at that time going through the Pro Day.”
With no on-campus quarterback to throw to him, Robinson enlisted the help of his cousin to throw to him. Despite playing at a big school like Penn State, it was a sparse year for wide receivers and he was one of only two receivers working out that day. Soon enough, Robinson became the only one.
“It was just us two, and then he ended up, the other receiver ended up going down,” Robinson said. “So it was kind of just me running routes. I was going back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back. And that was something that Coach Tomlin said that he liked and enjoyed watching me work.”
All that work essentially by himself is tiring stuff. Even if it’s just routes run on air, going through all the drills can take enough out of you mentally and physically. Robinson wowed at his workout, greatly improving his Combine numbers, turning in a 4.47 40, 42 inch vertical, and 10’11” broad with great size. That was followed by his on-field workout and being the only one through drills with little time to catch his breath is something most prospects don’t deal with. But his level of conditoning to get through the day caught the eye of Tomlin.
It also caught the eye of Jacksonville Jaguars WR Coach Jerry Sullivan, who intervened to cut the workout short. Jacksonville drafted him 61st overall in the 2014 NFL Draft, with Robinson spending his first four seasons there before moving on to Chicago.
Now, Robinson is united with Tomlin in Pittsburgh. Hopefully, he’ll have steadier quarterback play than any season before. It was something he thought he had last season but he and Los Angeles Rams’ QB Matthew Stafford were hurt and the offense went into a shell. The Steelers have plenty of offensive work to do but Robinson can help in the team’s mission to turn that unit around and have their most productive squad of the last several seasons.
