Coming off of a terrific finish to his rookie season, Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Connor Heyward appears poised for a strong sophomore season in the NFL.
Though he finds himself in a crowded tight ends room with veterans Pat Freiermuth and Zach Gentry, and rookie Darnell Washington, Heyward’s unique skill set allows him to see the field in different formations and situations. That has him looking like an integral part of the Steelers’ offense moving forward.
Based on his performance throughout the offseason in OTAs and minicamp, Heyward turned some heads with his growth and continued versatility. On Tuesday, Heyward was named the Steelers’ “surprise offseason standout” by ESPN’s Brooke Pryor as part of a leaguewide piece for ESPN.com.
“Entering his second season, the younger brother of Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward is primed for an even bigger role. He made the most of playing 15% of offensive snaps last season, catching 12 of 17 targets and hauling in a touchdown,” Pryor writes for ESPN.com. “His chemistry with quarterback Kenny Pickett continued through the spring, and with Derek Watt’s departure, Heyward could fill the role as the team’s primary fullback and see time as an undersized yet strong tight end. ”
Initially brought along slowly after making the roster as a sixth-round pick out of Michigan State, Heyward blossomed into a role after the Week 9 bye, becoming a valuable piece for the Steelers’ offense under coordinator Matt Canada. Of his 12 receptions for 151 yards and a touchdown on 17 targets, 14 of his targets came after the Week 9 bye, as did seven of his receptions, including his touchdown on the road against the Atlanta Falcons.
Rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett showed serious trust in Heyward. So too did the coaching staff, putting him on the field in key situations, for which he rewarded them by coming through with some big plays.
Last season, Heyward played just 174 snaps offensively, which totaled out to just 15% of the offensive snaps the Steelers ran in 2022. Of those 174 snaps, just 64 came in the season’s first eight weeks, including a career-high 30 snaps in the win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6, which happened to be a game that Pat Freiermuth missed due to a concussion.
Heyward took advantage of the opportunity in that game, hauling in a key 45-yard catch-and-run from backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky on a broken play, sparking the Steelers’ offense in the win. After the bye week though, Heyward really took off and was a key part of the offense.
How he continues to be a key part of the offense under Canada remains to be seen, but he has some versatility to his game overall.
