LATROBE, PA (93.7 The Fan) – The chants were there after practice. ‘Kenny, Kenny’. They kept getting louder as he approached the edge of the practice field at St. Vincent College. Alas these chants weren’t for safety Kenny Robinson, Junior but for QB Kenny Pickett.
Sunday, they should have been for Robinson.
The Wilkinsburg native intercepted a pair of passes during the team’s practice and was one of the stars of the day. One of the picks came during the fan-favorite ‘7-shots’ drill, essentially the area where teams would attempt a two-point conversation, in the end zone and another was during 11-on-11 drills. He even got something rarer than fans chanting his name, the first-year Steeler got praise from his head coach.
“I was appreciative of the play-making from Kenny Robinson,” Tomlin said. “Another guy with the opportunity to rise up due to the short lines.”
What Tomlin means by that is with starters Minkah Fitzpatrick, out for personal reasons, and Damontae Kazee, out with an injury, there are reps to get. Robinson has been getting a number of snaps with the second team defense and punctuated a solid camp so far with those picks.
“Coach Tomlin knew me my whole life, just watching me growing up,” Robinson said. “Just giving me the opportunity, I’m thankful for that. Having his praise, I just want to pay it off to him. I feel like I have to continue to work hard and get better-and-better every day.”
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Robinson is entering his fourth season in the NFL, the first two years he saw the field at times with Carolina and last year on-and-off the Panthers practice squad. He’s in a tough battle with a number of experienced players, but so far is showing out. The 24-year-old says he needs to take this, build on it and continue to improve every day.
“Going on my fourth year, I know a lot of things happen so fast,” the former West Virginia standout said. “It’s always being prepared for my moment. When sometimes things happen, other guys have to be prepared to step up and fill in their shoes.”
“It could be my moment. I’m just ready for the opportunity. I’m here to work and be an asset to the team.”
Robinson said he’s learned over the last couple of years to stay out of his own head. He won’t worry about the depth chart. When you look at when the starters are back, he would trend to be on the third team, which is borderline making the roster. He promises he doesn’t worry about that, just about getting better every day.
This past week was the first time he’d ever been to Steelers Training Camp. It wasn’t a destination for him, he wasn’t a Steelers fan as a child.
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“I didn’t become a Steeler fan until I got to college,” Robinson said. “I was a Giants fan. My dad was a Giants fan growing up. When I got to college, I like to represent my city. That’s when I really became a heavy Steelers fan when I moved to West Virginia. I was going to represent my city no matter what.”
Now work has taken him back home, but it’s a temp job. He has a few more weeks to impress the bosses to keep him around. And daily people from Wilkinsburg come to Latrobe to cheer him on.
“It’s definitely been pretty cool to have that hometown love,” Robinson said. “People support you every day. I’m excited about that. Just welcoming it and embracing all the love.”