Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Allen Robinson II suffered a foot injury late in November 2022 that cost him the rest of the season with the Los Angeles Rams. He’ll be turning 30 this season, so the question about how much longer he will be playing could be considered natural. Robinson joined the Rich Eisen Show with guest host Tom Pelissero on Monday, and the topic of how much he’s got left came up.
“I think I have a lot more,” Robinson said. “Like you said before, I’m going into my 10th year, but still to this date, I’m 29. I haven’t broken 30 yet, which I will this year. But again, for me, how I approach my offseason, how I approach my in-season and different things like that, I’ve learned to be able to improve in the areas that I need to.”
While we all have a tendency to focus on the on-field stuff, and for good reason, perhaps it’s the off-the-field and mental aspects of being an NFL player and wide receiver that Robinson can bring to the wide receiver group that’s the most impactful. He’s battled through physical problems like a foot injury in 2014, an ACL tear in the 2017 season opener, and a foot injury again in 2022. He played for three teams prior to being traded to the Steelers, so he’s played with a lot of players and under a number of coaches.
That level of experience is valuable for a young offense. It’s why general manager Omar Khan brought guard Isaac Seumalo in to help with the offensive line, and it’s likely one of the reasons that he brought in Robinson. A veteran wide receiver can impart knowledge not only to his fellow receivers but he can also help a young quarterback which the Steelers have in Kenny Pickett.
To hear that Robinson feels like he’s got a lot more in him as the team gets ready for the 2023 season is a good sign. While he won’t be the main focal point of the passing attack, he will be a depth piece and should see a good amount of playing time. The longer he is able to play at the level needed, the more impact he can have in bringing young guys like fellow receiver George Pickens along. He’s already talked about the wisdom he can bring from having a good rookie season to having a breakout second season because he did that.
Robinson’s rookie season with the Jacksonville Jaguars was a good one. He had 48 receptions for 548 yards and two touchdowns. His second season in 2015 was stellar. He had 80 receptions for 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns. While Pickens had to contend with Diontae Jackson being the number one target for Pickett, Pickens might want to take a page out of his new mentor’s book as he tries to follow through on the promise he showed in 2022.
If Robinson is to be believed, he’ll be around for a while to do what he can to help Pickens achieve that and to help get the Steelers back to where they belong, in the playoffs and contending for titles.
