Anthony Chickillo excited for new opportunity with Saints

[Gumbo]

Getty Images

It took over two months of free agency after his release from the Pittsburgh Steelers for Anthony Chickillo to find a new home with the New Orleans Saints.

But even after playing the waiting game, Chickillo is pleased with his new destination with the Saints.

“Couldn’t ask for a better organization, with a better head coach, better team, better quarterback and I’m just really excited to get to New Orleans and to get to work,” Chickillo said Tuesday via a team transcript.

“It’s a winning organization and I wanted to be a part of a winning organization. I was lucky to be in Pittsburgh the past five years. I feel like I’m coming from a winning culture, so I feel like I’m going to fit in well with the locker room.”

Chickillo signed a one-year deal with New Orleans last week after spending the first five years of his career with Pittsburgh. A sixth-round pick in 2015, Chickillo appeared in 65 total games for the Steelers with nine starts. Chickillo has been a rotational pass rusher and key special teams players for Pittsburgh. He had 7.5 sacks for his career with a career-high three sacks coming in 2017.

While Chickillo was a linebacker in Pittsburgh’s 3-4 scheme, he’s set to play more of a traditional defensive end spot with the Saints. It’s a role he played in college at the University of Miami.

“It’ll be different playing in a 4-3,” Chickillo said. “In Pittsburgh I got used to the 3-4, but in college I played with my hand down in a lot of different positions. I’m excited and I think I’ll be a good fit for the team.

“In Pittsburgh, we were in a two-point stance. We were in a 3-4 and still on some passing situations I was able to put my hand down, so it’s not like I haven’t done in the past five years. … I’ve always liked rushing with my hand down, better than out of a two-point. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”