The Pittsburgh Steelers went through a major retooling phase of the offense as while most of the attention went to the quarterback position adding Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, there was also a change made in the wide receiver room. Star Allen Robinson who has been in the league for 10 seasons, was cut from the Steelers in March but has found a new home with the New York Giants where he was signed on May 9.
Robinson started every game for the Steelers last season being usually the No. 3 option behind the likes of George Pickens and Diontae Johnson. While it was one of the more pedestrian years for the 30-year old as he caught 34 passes for 280 yards, he called the cut from Pittsburgh “a little surprising” according to the Giants' website.
“I know for them, they were doing a lot of changes over there, schematic changes, and different things like that,” Robinson said. “So, it was a little surprising. But at the end of the day, it's a part of the business. I've been in this thing now going on 11 years.”
While Steelers cut Robinson, Giants are “happy to have him”
He now joins a team with New York that is desperate to bolster their offense led by quarterback Daniel Jones and head coach Brian Daboll. When speaking to the media about the acquisition of Robinson, Daboll would say that he is “happy to have him” on the Giants.
“(He) has been a productive player for a while,” Daboll said. “We had good conversations. Ended up choosing to come here. Happy to have him.”
The feeling is no doubt reciprocal as Robinson enters a team that is looking for more wide receiver production as Darius Slayton led the Giants with 770 yards and tight end Darren Waller was second with 552 yards. Robinson would talk about the Giants' culture and how “successful” the organization has been.
“Whenever you can join a culture,” Robinson said. “Not to mention the Giants organization as far as being a successful place in general – whenever you can step into a culture like that as a football player, that's awesome.”
Robinson “grateful” to still be in the league after 10 seasons
The Giants also get a player in Robinson that has really been one of the more productive pass catchers in the last last decade as he really stood out with several 1000 yard seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears. Robinson would say to the media that he is “grateful” to still be in this game 11 years later and that he can hope to achieve success.
“I have so much gratitude and respect and love for the game. I mean, this game has changed my life and changed my family's life,” Robinson said. “Every time I step foot on that field, the amount of pride that I come onto the field with each and every day, practice and games, I take it seriously. Like I said before, man, I even think back 11 years ago, just wanting to be able to have a successful career and do some things. To still be in it 11 years later, man, I'm blessed, I'm grateful and I don't take anything for granted.”
Robinson knew he was not done playing after release with the Steelers
So far in his lengthy career, he has amassed 562 receptions and 7,028 yards that even place him “20th in both categories among active players entering the 2024 season” to go along with 43 touchdown catches. While those numbers are great for any receiver to end their career on, Robinson was not ready to hang up the boots after the Steelers released him.
“I knew right away I was playing again,” Robinson said after being cut by the Steelers. “In my eyes, I know for sure I've got a couple more years in me. Last year, kind of stepping into the season, I wasn't quite 100 percent. I was coming off a foot injury. So, being able to have this offseason to really be healthy and train and do all those things, I knew for sure. There was no doubt for me as far as playing wise.”
Robinson stepping into a young receiver room after Steelers exit
Just as it has been, Robinson is the veteran in the Giants wide receiver room where besides putting up numbers on the field, he is expected to share his wisdom with the younger players. To put into retrospective of how long he has been in the league compared to his new teammates, his career stat-line “tops the combined total of the Giants' four holdover wideouts – Darius Slayton, Isaiah Hodgins, Wan'Dale Robinson, and Jalin Hyatt – who together have posted numbers of 384 catches, 5,071 yards and 28 scores” per the team's website.
“Being able to step into a room with some young guys, man, those guys have always, as I've gotten later in my career, kept me young,” Robinson said. “So, I'm looking forward to it and I'm excited.”
“I've gone through so many different things in my career from being drafted, traded, franchise tag, injuries, and everything like that,” Robinson continued. “Being able to have the perspective of all those different things and then being able to get around young guys, and really spread my knowledge, spread my experience and really kind of help elevate the young guys each and every day – whenever you're checking those boxes off and helping young guys check those boxes off, you do the same thing for yourself as well.”
Robinson looking to prove Steelers wrong with New York stint
After a tumultuous season with the Steelers, Robinson's hopes is to prove the organization wrong by letting him go and give the Giants the boost they desperately need. It truly seems like the Penn State product believes the right team is with New York after spending one season with Pittsburgh.
“It's awesome, man,” Robinson said via the Giants' website. “It's awesome, because once you've played in the league for a little bit, you do know some guys. You've played with guys, you've played against guys. Coming in today talking to Jalin, he was telling me how he was playing with me on Madden and stuff. You're able to connect with guys quickly. Being able to have that perspective, it's been an easy transition for me stepping into different locker rooms.
“I'm blessed to be able to be around these guys,” Robinson continued. “It's a very talented group, it's been cool, it's been fun.”
In any sense, the Steelers look to improve after a 10-7 record where they finished third in the AFC North and were eliminated in the wild card round by the Buffalo Bills. Besides Robinson, Pittsburgh also traded top receiver Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers as Pickens is the clear cut No. 1 wideout. The team starts their season on the road as they face the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 8.
