Pittsburgh Steelers DL Cameron Heyward has talked repeatedly throughout the years about holding himself to a higher standard as a leader so he can hold younger guys to a high standard. That’s something that has held true for a long time now, and it’s something that’s gained Heyward respect from Pittsburgh’s young defenders, including second-round pick Keeanu Benton.
“It’s great to get to learn from a guy like him who has been around for so long,” Benton told Teresa Varley of Steelers.com. “He is pushing every day. He has been here so long, and he is working out like he is a rookie. Grinding his tail off. That gains extra respect from the young guys.”
Heyward has always pushed himself to train just as hard now as he did coming into the league. While he’s afforded the benefit of more off days here and there to reduce the toll on his body, when he’s playing, he’s going 100 percent every snap. For guys like Benton and other members of Pittsburgh’s defense to see that, it shows them the standard for excellence and the work they have to put in to even come close to Heyward’s level.
It also allows Heyward to better function as a leader. He can’t get on guys for not bringing it if he doesn’t bring it himself, and guys would see that. For him to be able to function as the leader of the defense that he is, he has to be putting in more work than everyone else so he can hold them to an appropriately high standard.
Even though Heyward is getting up there in years, as 2023 will be his age-34 season, he’s still one of the best defensive linemen in all of football. That’s a testament to the work he puts in year in and year out, and he’s a key reason why Pittsburgh’s defense and pass rush has thrived for the majority of his tenure in the black and gold.
If someone like Benton, who’s pushing for the starting nose tackle job, can emulate Heyward’s work habits, then he’ll find himself having a nice career. He has all the physical tools to succeed, and if he puts the work in with coaches and in the weight room, I have little doubt that Benton will join the long line of successful Pittsburgh Steelers nose tackles.
