New England Patriots - NESN.com
New England Patriots linebacker Robert Spillane credits much of his career to Mike Vrabel, who was the first NFL coach to take a chance on him. After Spillane impressed during a tryout as an undrafted free agent in 2018, the Tennessee Titans signed him while Vrabel was head coach.
In a one-on-one interview with Steve Burton on Patriots.com, Spillane shared why he enjoys playing for Vrabel.
“Being an undrafted rookie, you carry a chip on your shoulder because it feels like nobody believes in you,” Spillane said Thursday. “So, when Coach Vrabel says, ‘Rob, I believe in you. We want you to be a part of this team,’ it means a lot.”
While in Tennessee, Spillane primarily played on the practice squad and appeared in only two games before the team released him at the end of October.
Following his release from the Titans, Spillane joined the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he spent four successful years before shifting his career to Las Vegas for two additional seasons.
When Spillane entered free agency this past offseason, reuniting with Vrabel made perfect sense, as Vrabel is tackling his first season as the head coach of the Patriots. In this new situation, Vrabel must value bringing in a familiar face he can rely on.
Spillane has led New England’s defense so far this season, topping the team with 21 total tackles, including 15 solo tackles. He even snagged an interception from Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers last week.
