The Pittsburgh Steelers like to bring warriors into the fold with whom they’ve done battle, and Elandon Roberts certainly qualifies. Going into his second season in Pittsburgh, the former New England Patriots linebacker feels like he’s always worn the Black and Gold. Perhaps that’s partly because he knows what it takes to play them.
“The New England battles was crazy”, Roberts recalled on the Not Just Football podcast about how the Patriots prepared for Steelers games during his time there. “I ain’t even gonna lie, preparing even that week in practice, we’ll be like, ‘Hey man, this is gonna be a 60-minute game. You’re gonna be hurt after this game. It is what it is, it’s just that type of game’. We’re in full pads that week of practice, hitting, just getting our bodies right. We knew what type of physicality was gonna be in that game”.
You will regularly read descriptions of Steelers games that use words like “bloodbath” and “slobberknocker”. They actively curate their brand as a physical style of football, but usually, their play on the field speaks for them. Elandon Roberts is now a core part of that identity, one of the enforcers on that defense.
Roberts talked during that same interview about his long-held respect for the Steelers and head coach Mike Tomlin. He said that his priority going into his last free agency period was finding the right fit over money. In his first free agency period, he just wanted to follow Brian Flores to Miami, which he did. No longer an option, he wanted Tomlin, so when the Steelers called, a deal didn’t take long.
A 2016 sixth-round draft pick, Elandon Roberts has 91 career starts in 123 games. He has 558 tackles with 49 for loss, 13.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and one pick-six interception. In his first season with the Steelers in 2023, he recorded 101 tackles with 10 for loss, plus 2.5 sacks.
Robert spent his first four seasons with the Patriots, playing the next three in Miami. He just missed following Flores to the Steelers, who served as an assistant coach in 2022. But one year into his tenure, it’s very clear that he is a Steeler now.
And quite possibly one of the most underrated Steelers, at that, unquestionably still a starter for this unit. While Steelers fans are excited about rookie Payton Wilson, Elandon Roberts will hold down the fort for a while. And they will still find uses for him even if Wilson takes on a larger role over time because he is that valuable.
To hear him tell the stories about how Bill Belichick’s Patriots prepared for the Steelers says it all. I’m sure other teams practiced similar protocols, wearing the pads before playing Pittsburgh. Now Roberts is one of the reasons Steelers opponents have to make sure they prepare to take a physical beating.
