After facing the TV cameras, the media and the high expectations of his arrival, Robert Spillane finally got a moment to step away and see his family.
The 29-year-old linebacker took a moment with his daughter, Nina, and draped what was essentially a $130 blanket over her carriage. His wife, Shelby, gleefully took photos.
That “blanket” was Spillane’s new jersey, emblazoned with the No. 14 that he’ll now wear as a member of the New England Patriots.
New England Patriots Free Agents
New England Patriots Robert Spillane (left) with his wife Shelby with their daughter Nina (center) after the team introduced their top free agents at Gillette Stadium.(Nick O'Malley, MassLive)
It was a gesture that represented security, not just against the chill for his 9-month-old child -- but financial security for his family the likes of which would have been hard to imagine a few years ago.
Back in 2018, Spillane arrived in the NFL as an undrafted free agent who was considered a long shot to make the league. He eventually landed a spot with the Tennessee Titans to play for a then-rookie head coach -- Mike Vrabel.
On Thursday, Spillane had signed a three-year, $37.5 million contract with New England.
Vrabel’s teams have a knack for timing when it comes to offering Spillane contracts.
“I got hired on in 2018 on Mother’s Day and I got to call my mom in tears saying I’m going to be a professional football player. Today it’s her birthday,” Spillane said during his introduction Thursday. “So I’m signing the contract on her birthday. She’s a very important special woman in my life, and I just want to make her proud.”
After landing a spot in camp, Spillane impressed Vrabel and the Titans’ coaching staff during tackling drills. It eventually became a running joke for coaches to try and find someone who could make Spillane miss.
Eventually, Vrabel and the Titans front office realized, “we have to have him on the football team.”
New England Patriots Free Agents
Linebacker Robert Spillane after the New England Patriots introduced their top free agent signings at Gillette Stadium Thursday.(Nick O'Malley, MassLive)
Spillane spent his rookie season with the Titans before joining the Steelers. He spent four seasons in Pittsburgh, slowly working his way into the defensive rotation. It wasn’t until 2023 when he joined the Raiders that he truly broke out, starting every game over his two seasons in Las Vegas.
Spillane now is a key part of the Patriots' prize free-agent class under Vrabel. The veteran linebacker is a tackling machine, having tallied a whopping 306 tackles in just the past two seasons.
That journey is part of what continues to impress Vrabel, who says Spillane has never had anything handed to him in the NFL.
“That’s what we want for every single player on our team. We want them to earn everything that they get. That was an example of what he earned his opportunity in the National Football League. That’s no surprise the career that he’s had based on how it started.”
Spillane’s NFL journey so far led him to his big moment Thursday when he was introduced as part of the Patriots' big free-agent class at Gillette Stadium.
It had been a long 24 hours leading up to the press conference. The Spillanes had flown in late the night before. The couple had uprooted their life and now had to navigate the Massachusetts housing market. Shelby, who’s pregnant with the couple’s second child, couldn’t believe the prices she was seeing.
Fortunately for the Spillanes, who both grew up just outside Chicago, the checks from Robert Kraft will make the housing search a little bit easier.
Now, as his family gets settled,, Spillane says he’s ready to go all-in on New England.
“I want the Patriot Nation to know I’m going to pour my heart into this city, into this community, into this team,” Spillane said. “I care deeply about what I do. I bring passion and heart everywhere I go. I’m just so excited to get my feet in the building, get started.”
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