At the ripe age of just 30 years old, wide receiver Allen Robinson II finds himself in a rather unique position for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Not only is he a No. 3 receiver for the first time in his career, he also finds himself as the elder statesman offensively, right alongside free agent additions in left guard Isaac Seumalo and swing tackle Le’Raven Clark.
Robinson has the most experience of the three, entering his 10th NFL season as a former second-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars out of Penn State in the 2014 NFL Draft. Seumalo and Clark are entering their eighth seasons in the league.
The former Pro Bowler has been around the block a time or two in the NFL, spending time with three teams prior to being traded to the Steelers ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft. With that experience in his back pocket, Robinson is aiming to be a vital asset to the Steelers from a leadership and development standpoint, hoping to help a rather young offensive group as much as he can.
“As much knowledge as I can give across the board, on the field, off the field, just talking to guys across the board,” Robinson told reporters Friday morning, according to Steelers.com’s Teresa Varley. “Not just receivers, skill positions, o-linemen. Being a vet and having some experience, you’re able to give a lot of knowledge to younger guys.”
Off the field, Robinson is already hard at work doing that within his dorm with roommate George Pickens, a fellow receiver.
That pairing was put together by head coach Mike Tomlin in hopes of helping further cultivate a professional mindset from Pickens as he continues to develop in the league. Who better to learn from than Robinson, a guy who has very similar traits and build to Pickens?
With Robinson serving as sort of a role model for Pickens as far as play style and how to conduct oneself off the field, it’s not surprise that Tomlin paired the two big, physical receivers together in hopes of not only pushing each other but also creating a unique bond that will serve both well this season and moving forward in their NFL careers.
Since arriving in Pittsburgh, Robinson has tried to pass along as much knowledge as possible to Pickens, not to mention second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett and even young offensive pieces like tight end Pat Freiermuth, wide receiver Calvin Austin III and rookie tight end Darnell Washington.
Robinson said he’s not stopping with just skill guys, either. At this stage of his career, he knows how to get his body right not only in training camp and preseason, but weekly leading up to games. So, he’s aiming to talk to offensive linemen, too, which is big for an offense that is rather young.
Though the Steelers offense doesn’t really lack experience on the field, it undoubtedly helps having an accomplished veteran like Robinson in the room, passing along as much knowledge as he can, helping continue to cultivate that culture within the Steelers locker room that the franchise aims for.
