The Pittsburgh Steelers have enjoyed stellar performances from Cam Heyward since drafting him in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. Heyward has earned six Pro Bowl selections and three All-Pro honors throughout his career. Now, at 35 and entering the final year of his four-year, $65.6 million contract extension signed in 2020, fans are curious about Heyward's future with the team.
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Defensive lineman Cameron Heyward shaking hands with Pittsburgh Steelers fans after a home game.
During the 2023 season, Heyward suffered an injury in Week 1, significantly limiting his play. Despite his efforts to return to the field, he struggled to maintain his usual productivity, attributing his performance issues to essentially playing on one leg. After undergoing surgery in the offseason, Heyward is now fully healthy and ready to go.
When the Steelers began Organized Team Activities (OTAs), Heyward was notably absent. For the first time in his career, he skipped OTAs in pursuit of a new deal from Pittsburgh. Although he rejoined the team during the last week of OTAs, he clarified that it didn't indicate any progress on his contract request.
As the 2024 season approaches, many are eager to see if Heyward's request will be fulfilled. Steelers insider Mark Kaboly, speaking on the #1 Cochran Sports Showdown on July 7, 2024, speculated that Steelers Team President Art Rooney II might intervene soon to finalize a deal.
"First of all, I know he wants to be here," Kaboly told Bob Pompeani. "They want him to be here. The numbers can come together correctly. I think the Steelers and Art Rooney II will step in at some point and say, 'Let's get this done.'"
Heyward is adamant about not taking a pay cut and has stated that he is willing to finish his career outside of Pittsburgh if necessary. Kaboly believes that Rooney is not comfortable with this possibility and that he should be willing to overpay to ensure Heyward finishes his legendary career in Pittsburgh.
"People aren't gonna like this, but if you have to overpay to keep Cam Heyward, I think I'm okay with that. How much he's meant to the organization. People are probably flipping out now. Not grossly overpay him, but overpay a little bit just to keep him around. I think it's well worth it, what he means to the organization.”
Kaboly shared the opinion that if Pittsburgh needs to overpay reasonably to keep Heyward, both the organization and fans should be okay with that. Over his 13 seasons with the Steelers, Heyward has been a dominant force on the defensive line and a key anchor for the defense. He has accumulated 80.5 sacks, 647 combined tackles, seven fumble recoveries, eight forced fumbles, and 47 passes defensed, starting in 159 games.
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Steelers' Cam Heyward celebrates with his hands up after a big time play on the road.
It is no secret what Heyward means to the organization. During the 2023 season, he won the prestigious Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. He epitomizes what it means to be a Steelers player, and the organization would hate to see him finish his career anywhere other than Pittsburgh.
Steelers' Cam Heyward Fighting A Battle With Father Time
However, Heyward is not getting any younger. The NFL is an unforgiving league, and father time always wins. Many Steelers fans believe Heyward lost a step during the 2023 season, but Heyward attributes that to the injuries he played through. Now, after surgery and full recovery, he believes he has plenty left in the tank and is eager to prove his doubters wrong.
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Steelers' Cam Heyward gets ready to bring down NFL legend Tom Brady.
Heyward has been very active on social media all offseason, aware of the criticism from fans, and has even taken screenshots of it. He is determined to prove his doubters wrong and have a massive 2024 season. Steelers fans remain curious about when and if Pittsburgh will finalize a new deal with Heyward.
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