Pittsburgh Steelers DE Cameron Heyward returned to practice yesterday for the first time since going on IR after the team’s Week One loss to the San Francisco 49ers. While there was initially some uncertainty about Heyward’s injury, being called anything from a groin injury to a more specific diagnosis of a sports hernia, Heyward revealed yesterday he had a prior core muscle injury, which combined with a torn abductor suffered against the 49ers caused his IR stint.
“I was going to make a sack, he threw it out, I fell on my legs kind of weird and it split. Don’t know what happened at first, but I couldn’t move like I wanted to. Ripped an abductor and I was already dealing with a core muscle injury, both played a part,” Heyward said via Steelers.com. “I knew it was bad ’cause I couldn’t finish the game. I didn’t know the extent, didn’t know I was gonna have to be on IR, but one of those freak things that happens.”
Heyward had been one of the most durable members of Pittsburgh’s defense, playing over 780 snaps every year from 2017-2022. The injury was a blow to Pittsburgh’s defense, losing a force along the defensive line. The Steelers have done a good enough job weathering the storm thanks to guys like DE DeMarvin Leal, while NT Montravius Adams and DL Keeanu Benton have flashed as well.
But the Steelers are surely excited to get Heyward back practicing, and his return is expected within the next three weeks. He won’t suit up against the Jaguars this weekend, and with a short week coming up in Week Nine, it’s unlikely that he’ll make a return against Tennessee. That would leave Nov. 12 against the Green Bay Packers in Week 10 as a logical return date, and that’s a return date that’s been speculated about for a few weeks now.
If the Steelers can enter that game at 5-3 or 6-2, Heyward’s boost will give the defense a necessary lift. Not only can he help generate pressure along with Alex Highsmith and T.J. Watt, but his return should help the Steelers shore up their run defense. The run defense has been a bit of a weakness, and Heyward’s return should help that facet of Pittsburgh’s defense.
The torn abductor/core muscle injury combo that Heyward dealt with sounds incredibly painful. That he was able to crush his rehab and get back on the practice field just ahead of seven weeks after the injury occurred is a positive. Whenever Heyward returns, he’s going to be a huge boost for this Steelers defense.
