The Opportunity Raiders' Spillane Has Been Waiting For

The Las Vegas Raiders spent the offseason retooling their defense. Josh McDaniels emphasized players who loved the game of football and were intelligent and mature football players.

McDaniels is a believer that the best ability is availability. Last season, Denzel Perryman missed five games. The Raiders decided to let Perryman leave and brought in Robert Spillane from the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Spillane is a tough, durable player who played in 30 of the Steelers' last 34 games. He started in nine of those games.

Although the six-year veteran from Western Michigan has only started 16 games in his career, he is ready to step into a full-time starting position in Las Vegas.

"I am so amped up," Spillane told SI. "Since the last day of the last season, I've been waiting for this moment."

"We prepare all year long for moments like this and to start an NFL season. I'm beyond excited to be with my new teammates and go out there and ball."

Spillane is already well-liked by his teammates and coaches. While only arriving in Las Vegas during the offseason, Spillane has already been named a team captain, an honor voted on by his peers.

"I try to make myself available to older guys, to younger guys," Spillane told SI. "I want to be somebody who they can look to, somebody who they can rely on, whether that be on the field or off the field.

"All I can be is myself. I try to be authentic to who I am as a player and as a person. I just try to pour my heart into this game, into this locker room, and give everything that I have."

For the first time in his career, Spillane is slated to start at linebacker from the season's first game. As Week 1 approaches, Spillane, an undrafted free agent, thinks back to his first career start, where he stuffed Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans on the goal line.

The play announced his arrival to the NFL but also gave him confidence that he could be a full-time starter on the professional level someday.

"That was my first career start in Tennessee, the team that cut me in my rookie year," Spillane told SI. "My family took a bus from Chicago, 40 deep up to Tennessee, and got to witness that moment."

"It was just me saying: 'Here I am,' to the NFL. 'I'm here to play.'"

McDaniels values availability, as he should. Last season, Spillane played in 16 games, and the Steelers were 5-0 when he played 100 percent of their defensive plays, including a victory over the Raiders.

Starting Sunday, Spillane's durability will work in the Raiders' favor instead of against them like last season. The Raiders hope the addition of Spillane and all of their other changes will equal a few more victories in 2023.

The Silver and Black open the regular season at the Denver Broncos on Sunday, Sept. 10, at 4:25 p.m. EDT/1:25 p.m. PDT.

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