Elandon Roberts wasn’t always a Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker, even if he looks like one. As a matter of fact, he began his career with the New England Patriots—and he has fond memories of coming here then as the visiting team. He knew even then that Steelers football was his brand—but they also had the soundtrack.
“I’m not gonna lie to you. When I was playing for New England and we had to come to Pittsburgh…Bro. I used to couldn’t wait to just come out”, Roberts said on 93.7 The Fan yesterday. “Because I knew Steelers Nation was gonna go crazy. And then when they would play the song? Oh, my God”.
That song is, of course, “Renegade” by the rock band Styx, a staple of Steelers’ home games for decades now. They blare that song typically in the fourth quarter just before a key defensive series. Some games even merit a double Renegade, especially if things get a little dicey. And while the song doesn’t always work its magic, it has preceded some special moments.
“It would just be like, me and Donte Hightower, and I was a rookie when I first heard it”, Roberts recalled of his first road game against the Steelers. “Donte was like, ‘Just sit back’. And I’m just like, ‘Man!’. … They used to cut the lights off in the stadium! It’s pitch dark and it starts playing on the Jumbo[tron], I’m like, ‘Oh man’. So my number one spot, no lie, it’s not because I play for the Steelers. It used to be Pittsburgh when I was a young buck and played for New England”.
Renegade has actually become quite popular, or at least recognized, by players around the league. A number of teams, even those that don’t play the Steelers frequently, will play it during practice a week before playing in Pittsburgh. Tennessee Titans QB Will Levis certainly enjoyed his first taste of the tradition just last year.
When you think about it, it’s no surprise that Elandon Roberts is a big fan of the Renegade moment. As Mike Tomlin will remind you repeatedly, how the Steelers do business in free agency is an extension of scouting. They sign guys in free agency they wanted to draft, and you know they would have loved Roberts. I mean, they basically did draft him a few years early under the name Vince Williams. And you know Vince loves him some Renegade, even hearing it in his head on the road.
