Throughout his 12-year career, Pittsburgh Steelers star defensive lineman and team captain Cameron Heyward has thrived on using slights — real and perceived — to motivate him and drive him to be the best player he can possibly be.
In those 12 seasons, the best player Heyward can be is a Hall of Fame-caliber defensive lineman, one who will go down as one of the greatest in the history of the Steelers’ franchise.
While he is much closer to the end of his career than anyone would like to admit, Heyward continues to play at an exceptionally high level.
Heyward somehow finds a way to get better and better in the NFL at a rather grueling position. In 2022 alone, Heyward recorded his second-straight 10-plus sack season, though somehow didn’t earn an All-Pro honor and was a late add to the Pro Bowl as an alternate.
Heyward is as dominant a defensive lineman as there is in the NFL. Even as he gets older and is on the back nine of his career, Heyward somehow continues to get better and better as both a pass rusher and a run defender. He remains one of the very best defensive linemen in the NFL and is an absolute menace on the interior.
He’s a perennial All-Pro and Pro Bowler, the face of the Steelers and is also quietly putting together a Hall of Fame resume in the trenches.
Yet, there are some within the NFL who believe Heyward showed signs of slowing down in 2022.
In ESPN’s positional rankings compiled by insider Jeremy Fowler that rely on a collection of NFL scouts, coaches, and players, putting together their list of top 10 players at the position, Heyward fell from No. 5 in 2022 to No. 9 this summer. For one scout, his team saw a decline in Heyward last season.
“We thought he was starting to decline last year, which is to be expected given his age,” the scout said to Fowler.
Preposterous. What games were those scouts or that team watching?
Heyward played at an All-Pro level in 2022 and closed out his 12th season in strong fashion, recording 5.5 sacks in the final four games of the season, helping the Steelers go 3-1 down the stretch and remain in playoff contention right until the very end. Assuming health not only for himself, but for key pieces around him in the Steelers’ defensive front, Heyward should have another great season in 2023 and add to his Hall of Fame resume.
The only real argument for a “decline” of sorts from Heyward could be made in correlation with the absence of T.J. Watt opposite him.
After a strong Week One showing against the Cincinnati Bengals on the road, Heyward seemed to slow down for the next several weeks. In the Steelers’ Week Two loss to the New England Patriots, Heyward struggled against rookie left guard Cole Strange, finishing the game with five tackles but offering very little as a pass rusher. Through the first five weeks, he had just one sack on the year. That sack came on the very first play of his season against Joe Burrow and the Bengals.
But once Watt returned to the lineup in Week 10 against the New Orleans Saints and offensive lines stopped sliding to Heyward’s side, his production returned to normal and he was the Heyward the Steelers have become accustomed to in his career.
He was one of the best passing rushing defensive linemen from Week Ten through the rest of the season, recording 7.5 sacks over that span. Only Kansas City’s Chris Jones and Arizona’s J.J. Watt had more.
Without T.J. Watt, there was a slight drop in production, but the same can be said for every single player on the Steelers defense last season. What player wouldn’t see a decline in production without a game-wrecking piece like Watt on the field?
Outside linebacker Alex Highsmith had just 4.0 sacks without Watt on the field for seven games. He finished with 14.5 sacks on the season. Minkah Fitzpatrick had just two interceptions with Watt out of the lineup. He finished with a league-high six on the year.
Being without Watt impacted everyone on the Steelers defense, but there were no signs of decline from Heyward, especially as evidence by his close to the season. He might be getting up there in age, but he tirelessly puts in the work and has his body ready to go each and every season. He’s fighting Father Time right now and is winning overall.
Doubt Cameron Heyward at your own peril. He thrives off proving people wrong.
