There's been a lot of change over the course of the last few months for the Pittsburgh Steelers. From the retirement of future Hall of Fame quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, to a new general manager in Omar Khan, and even a new stadium name, this franchise has inevitably entered a new era. One thing that has remained constant however, is the play and reliability of All-Pro defensive tackle, Cam Heyward.
Tuesday afternoon, CBS Sports HQ released their Top 30 NFL players 30 and over. On the list, you'll find some names you would expect, such as Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Russell Wilson. The only Steeler to make the list? You guessed it. Heyward, himself. Take a look:
Heyward falls four spots behind Los Angeles Rams superstar defensive tackle, Aaron Donald, and three spots ahead of Los Angeles Chargers All-Pro, Khalil Mack. They're the only three defensive players to crack the top 10.
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle, Cam Heyward (#97), takes down former New England Patriots quarterback, Tom Brady (#12), in a Week 15 matchup against the New England Patriots at the formally known, Heinz Field (now Acrisure Stadium). | Antonella Crescimbeni / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
In the CBS Sports HQ article, the author, Cody Benjamin, breaks down his analysis on the 3x First Team All-Pro and former Ohio State standout:
7. Steelers DE Cameron Heyward (33)
T.J. Watt makes all the splashy moves along Pittsburgh's spicy front, but Heyward is the engine that makes the whole thing run. Capable of both plugging holes and disrupting pockets, his game has only escalated since his late 20's.
In comparison, here's what Benjamin had to say about Donald:
3. Rams DT Aaron Donald (31)
If you wanted to crown him No. 1 here, it wouldn't be crazy. The resume is Hall of Fame-level: 98 sacks and 150 tackles for loss in eight seasons. But his mere hulking presence in the trenches is just as fearsome, forcing teams to scheme around him.
Other than the exact statistical numbers, you could say the same thing about Heyward. In his 11 seasons (all with Pittsburgh), Heyward has amassed 68 sacks (good for sixth all-time in franchise history), and 101 tackles for loss. Not to mention his 153 QB hits, seven forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries, 42 pass deflections, and two interceptions. Since being drafted in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft (31st overall), Heyward has played in 166 games, starting in 131 of them.
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle, Cam Heyward (#97), shows tremendous effort in an attempt to take down former Seattle Seahawks quarterback, Russell Wilson (#3), in a Week 2 matchup in 2019 at the formally known, Heinz Field (now Acrisure Stadium). | The Canadian Press
At 33 years old, Heyward is entering his 12th season in the league, and he's showing no signs of slowing down. He continues to be vocal on social media about being taken serious as the NFL's top interior lineman, and he's poised to climb up everyone's rankings, 30 and over or not.
What do yinz think about Heyward's ranking from Benjamin and CBS Sports HQ? Is he too high? Too low? Or just right? Sound off in the comment section below!
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