Steelers' Cameron Heyward Shared The Reason For His Undeniable Relief At Being In Concussion Protocol Last Week

Pittsburgh Steelers players had to be relieved to get the Week 16 win over the Cincinnati Bengals and shift the focus of all the negativity onto something positive. In the weeks before the second Bengals game, the team had been plagued by negative press, primarily about wide receiver George Pickens. Now Cameron Heyward, a defensive captain and overall team leader, is sharing why he was glad he was in concussion protocol during all the drama. 

Ever since drafting Pickens in the second round in 2022, Steeler Nation has been divided over the talented young receiver. He has undeniable talent, which includes an ability to rope in contested catches like almost no one else can. However, his on and off-the-field antics have led to a great deal of frustration.  

Those antics include him not blocking for teammate, running back Jaylen Warren during the loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Pickens came to his own defense when asked about it, saying he was trying to avoid putting himself in a place to get injured. Warren was also asked and while he has too much class to outright bash a teammate, he did say he would have blocked for him if roles were reversed. 

In the Week 16 win, the roles were somewhat reversed and Warren laid a huge block to help teammate Calvin Austin III find the end zone. The Steelers went on to beat Cincinnati soundly and it felt like the ship had started to right from the three losses in a row that preceded that game. 

Steelers' Cameron Heyward Wasn't Sad To Be In Concussion Protocol

Heyward is not only a captain and leader, he is the part of the lifeblood of the team. He is someone who leads by example. He has also stepped up during some of the drama this season to help bring the team together. That includes breaking up a nearly physical fight between Diontae Johnson and Minkah Fitzpatrick. 

Heyward's leadership role on the team means he always gets asked about everything that happens. On a recent episode of his own podcast, Not Just Football w/ Cam Heyward, his co-host Hayden Walsh asked him about all of the drama. Heyward said that he felt Warren and Pickens were able to set aside their prior theatrics and put the team first.

"I thought they just provided a spark, but Jaylen's blocking whether he has the ball or not, you have to be excited about the way that kid plays. Jaylen is a heck of a dude. He's hard to bring down, you're seeing guys really struggle with him. And then George Pickens, you know, everybody's made a big deal these last couple weeks, luckily I was in the concussion protocol because I didn't have to talk about c**p. But George responded in the right way and you saw what happens when he gets the ball in his hands," said Heyward.

Walsh laughed and said it was probably the only time Heyward had ever been glad to be in protocol. Heyward was just another in a string of injuries to the Steelers defense. He suffered a concussion during that loss to the Colts. Fortunately, he was able to return for the Bengals game. 

"You feel bad for the media because they have a job to do, but I got to show off a badge that said, 'Concussion protocol, stay away from me.' Obviously, I had to answer after I was out of the protocol, but I was like I picked a heck of a time to have a concussion."

While the Steelers still have a lot of unanswered questions and lingering concerns, it restored the faith for many to see them come out and have a decisive victory at the hands of third-string quarterback, Mason Rudolph.

They will be traveling to the West Coast to face the Seattle Seahawks on New Year's Eve and are very much still in the hunt for a playoff spot if they can win. Hopefully, Rudolph, if he starts again, can have another magical game and hopefully Pickens and Warren, along with the rest of the offensive weapons, can stay on the same page. 

What do you think of Heyward's remarks about all the recent drama? Click to comment below.

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