For the last two weeks, every discussion around Cam Heyward has revolved around his contract. Skipping OTAs in search of an extension, almost certainly the last of his NFL career. Will the Steelers do it? Should they? If so, how will it be structured to make the team and player happy? Questions we still don’t have answers to.
Come Week 1 in Atlanta, Heyward will be on the field. And no matter what you think about his future, he’s going to play and serve as one of the top players on the Pittsburgh Steelers defense this season. With that, he’s set to become part of an exclusive club of Steelers to play 200 career games.
Through 13 seasons, Heyward’s appeared in 194 games. Because he waited his turn behind Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel, he only has 159 starts. But he’s still on track to cross the 200-barrier six games into the year, Week 6 on the road against the Las Vegas Raiders. That will make him just the sixth player in franchise history to do so. Here’s the current top five.
Most Games Played, Steelers History
1. Ben Roethlisberger – 249
2. Mike Webster – 220
3. Hines Ward – 217
4. Donnie Shell – 201
5. Mel Blount – 200
6. Gary Anderson – 197
7. Cam Heyward – 194
Already, Heyward has the most appearances by any defensive lineman in franchise history, passing DT Joe Greene’s 181 in 2022. Now, he’s poised to crack the 200-club.
Assuming Heyward plays the entire 2024 season, he’ll finish with 211 appearances. It would place him fourth in history, ahead of Shell and Blount. If Heyward stays throughout the 2025 season, which I know is not a given, he would jump ahead Ward and Webster and only trail Roethlisberger for most games in team history.
Even cracking 200 will be a feat that might not be replicated for a while. The next active Steelers leader in games played is K Chris Boswell and his 133. Given how long kickers can play for, if Boswell can keep thriving as he has, he could join that group years from now. T.J. Watt is next at 104, but he’s not a lock to play 96 more games, given that he’s already 30 with a decent injury history.
Looking big-picture, Cam Heyward’s 194 games are among the most of his era. Since 2011, he’s played in the third-most games in the NFL. DE Cam Jordan and ex-Steeler (and potential future one?) CB Patrick Peterson are currently in the 200 club, while Heyward is tied with LB Demario Davis.
While it’s fair to debate his future and extension “worthiness,” he’s had one heck of a career. And if he plays as long as he hopes to, he’ll have done so longer than almost anyone in franchise history.
