Not everybody gets to play with multiple generational talents at one position over the course of their careers, but that is one honor former Pittsburgh Steelers ILB Robert Spillane has enjoyed. He now plays with EDGE Maxx Crosby after previously lining up with T.J. Watt.
And after just one season playing with Crosby on the Las Vegas Raiders, he seemingly gives him the edge. “I think Maxx deserved the Defensive Player of the Year [Award] last year”, he said. And he said this on Maxx Crosby’s The Rush podcast, with Crosby sitting next to him. Bear that in mind, why don’t you. However, he did share some interesting thoughts about how the two separate themselves from one another.
“I think what separates Maxx is his motor”, Spillane said, which is notable given that Watt receives similar recognition. “The fact that Maxx plays 99 percent of snaps as a d-end on the line dealing with 330-pound tackles every game and doing it 60, 70 times a game at the effort that he gives is untouchable. I don’t think that there’s anyone in the league that touches that level of motor”.
Spillane added that he’s never seen another player with that consistent motor and that it inspires him. This even though he’s played with some of the most high-motor players in the NFL. Both Watt and Cameron Heyward certainly fit in that category. But neither consistently battles offensive linemen off the edge 70 snaps per game, admittedly.
There is no doubting Crosby’s talent as one of the top defenders in the game, as Pat Freiermuth knows. While, as you might have seen elsewhere, Spillane gave Crosby the edge for motor—and he certainly has an elite motor, make no questions about that—he also shared that Watt holds the edge elsewhere, arguably in more significant places.
“T.J. Watt, also a two-time Defensive Player of the Year. His work ethic is up there with the best of them as well”, he said. “His ability to affect games is insane with turnovers and ball searches in terms of swatting down passes. Two of the best in the league”.
First of all, I would like to think that Spillane knows Watt only has one Defensive Player of the Year Award. I would like to believe he said that deliberately to recognize the fact that he should have at least two.
With that being said, he said gave Crosby the edge over Watt for 2023—and going forward. “I feel like Maxx, this is his time to win Defensive Player of the Year these next few years”, he said. And the reason offered is he believes his Raiders are going to win a lot more football games. Crosby will have the production within a successful season and thus receive his proper recognition.
As for the 2023 season, Watt led the NFL with 19 sacks. He also had 19 tackles for loss, 36 QB hits, four forced fumbles, three recoveries, one interception, and a defensive touchdown. Crosby had 14.5 sacks, 23 tackles for loss, 31 QB hits, two forced fumbles, and two passes defensed.
T.J. Watt finished second to Myles Garrett for the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year Award. Maxx Crosby played fourth in the voting behind the Dallas Cowboys’ Micah Parsons. He placed sixth in 2022, while Watt has finished in the top four in voting four times, winning in 2021.
