Awell-known face from the final years of the New England Patriots dynasty is unexpectedly looking for work again.
The Pittsburgh Steelers released former Patriots linebacker Elandon Roberts while trimming their roster to 53 players on Aug. 30, ending his second stint with the organization only 18 days after it began. Pittsburgh officially listed Roberts among five veteran players released Sunday.
The decision has since earned additional attention around the league.
Roberts was included in Bleacher Report’s rundown of eight of the biggest surprises and shocks from the 2026 NFL roster cuts on Aug. 31. Moe Moton pointed to Roberts’ experience, run defense and familiarity with Pittsburgh defensive coordinator Patrick Graham as reasons the move stood out.
Roberts spent the first four seasons of his NFL career in New England, winning two Super Bowls and developing into one of the more versatile players from the latter part of the championship era.
Roberts’ Steelers Reunion Ends After 18 Days
Pittsburgh brought Roberts back on a one-year contract Aug. 12 after he spent the 2025 campaign with the Las Vegas Raiders.
The veteran started 16 games for Las Vegas last season and finished with 90 tackles, six tackles for loss, a pass defensed and a fumble recovery. He had already spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons in Pittsburgh, starting 29 games over that stretch.
That level of notability made his release less predictable than a typical end-of-roster transaction.
Bleacher Report described Roberts as an above-average run defender who appeared capable of providing a veteran presence in the Steelers’ linebacker room. Pittsburgh instead moved forward without him after a brief preseason audition.
The Steelers’ decision also generated a strong response from former Pittsburgh star James Harrison, who wrote on X that he “didn’t see this coming in a million years,” according to Bleacher Report.
Roberts immediately hit free agency because of his vested-veteran status rather than being subjected to the waiver process.
His latest trip to the open market comes shortly after it appeared he had secured a familiar landing spot for his 11th NFL season.
Roberts Carved Out Role During Patriots Dynasty
New England selected Roberts with the No. 214 overall pick in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL draft.
He quickly outperformed that draft slot.
Roberts appeared in 60 regular-season games with 33 starts during four years with the Patriots, recording 206 tackles and four sacks. He was part of the teams that won Super Bowl LI against Atlanta and Super Bowl LIII against the Rams.
His responsibilities eventually stretched well beyond inside linebacker.
Roberts became Patriots captain in 2019 and filled in at fullback when injuries depleted New England’s backfield. His offensive cameo produced one of the stranger highlights of the final Tom Brady season in Foxborough.
Roberts caught a 38-yard touchdown pass against the Miami Dolphins in the 2019 regular-season finale, breaking a tackle before reaching the end zone. ESPN noted at the time that he was the 77th different player to catch a touchdown from Brady.
Roberts left New England for Miami the following offseason and has remained in the league ever since.
Six years later, the former Patriots captain is available once more — this time after a release that has already landed among the NFL’s most unexpected moves of roster-cut weekend.
Former Patriots 2-Time Super Bowl Champion Among NFL’s Biggest Cut Surprises