Washington Commanders

Robertson making the most of opportunity with Redskins

Published Aug. 5, 2018 3:40 p.m. ET

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Two hours of practice in the heat and humidity weren't enough for Pete Robertson.

As dripping teammates slowly ambled to the locker room and showers Sunday, Robertson lined up on one sideline and sprinted across the field to the other sideline. Then and back, over and over again, for extra conditioning.

As the linebacker tries to make it all the way back from a debilitating back injury that threatened to take football away for good, he's leaving nothing to chance as he tries to make the Washington Redskins.

"It's been a long journey," he said.

A very effective pass rusher at Texas Tech, Robertson figured to be drafted before he herniated a disk in his back while working out before the draft. The injury led to a pinched nerve, and after Robertson insisted on running at his Pro Day workout for scouts, he never heard his name called during the NFL draft.

He signed a free agent deal with the Seattle Seahawks, but didn't stick, and had been working the graveyard shift loading trucks at UPS for three months when his agent called. The Redskins were interested.

Before hanging up, Robertson told him, "'They aren't ever going to let me go' and I've been here ever since."

And more and more, he seems likely to stick around for a while.

"Petey has been unbelievable," fifth-year coach Jay Gruden said before a recent practice. "Yeah, he's been great. Very, very athletic, and you're talking about a guy that can possibly help on special teams, as your fourth or fifth linebacker, and he's one because he can run."

When the Redskins signed Robertson last December, they initially used him at running back on the scout team because of a need there. He got in four games and made two tackles late in the season. A defensive end in college, the team has since tried him at inside linebacker, Gruden said, but "that wasn't quite his cup of tea."

"We moved him back down as an outside linebacker/defensive end in nickel. He's done very, very well."

And made an impression on teammates with his willingness to work.

"You know, when we had a lot of guys down and out, he got a lot of reps and you could see the burst that he has and the speed," offensive tackle Morgan Moses said. "He brings another aspect to the game and he works hard, man.

"There's not one thing you tell him to do that he's not going to do it. You tell him to go get some water 50 yards down the field, he's going to run and get water 50 yards down the field. He just has that mentality."

It's an appreciation of a second chance Robertson wasn't sure he'd get.

The thought that football might be in his past "went through my mind every night, every morning," he said. "Before I went to bed, when I woke up. ... I knew it wasn't the end of the road for me. I knew it wasn't. I never gave up on the dream, but you always have that thought in the back of your mind: 'Is this it?'"

In the offseason, Robertson added back the 30 pounds he'd lost while away from the game during day-long weekday workouts with his cousin, Redskins star left tackle Trent Williams. Williams was rehabbing after a right knee injury, and Robertson knew he had to make a big impression once the Redskins opened training camp.

So far, he's doing just that, and enjoying it every step of the way.

"I wouldn't trade it for nothing," he said.