Don’t tell Cam Heyward he’s old. Football might be a young man’s game but Heyward plans on going 12 rounds with Father Time. Practicing with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the first time this spring, after previously skipping voluntary OTAs in search of a new contract, Heyward also spoke with the media for the first time of this new football year. He made the case for why Pittsburgh should bet on him with an extension.
“I want to be valued at my position,” he said via video shared by 93.7 The Fan. “I understand I came off a rough season, but I don’t think it’s a step down of where I can play. When I’m at the top of my game, I’m still a top-five player at my position. I play the run and the pass. I bring leadership.”
Heyward’s “rough” season involved missing the first half of the season with a torn groin. An injury he initially suffered in training camp. The team attempted to rest and manage him through the summer and fall but he completely tore it in a Week 1 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. After a brief and unsuccessful attempt to play through it, Heyward underwent surgery and was placed on IR.
He raced back to return by Week 9. Far from 100 percent, Heyward still stuffed the run and showed his strength but lacked the explosiveness and athleticism to rush the passer. He finished the year with just two sacks, breaking a streak of making four-straight Pro Bowls.
Healthy now, Heyward thinks he can make the impact he did the previous two years, going over double-digit sacks. Doing so at 35 would be an incredible feat. It’s something that’s never been done by a defensive tackle at his age.
Is he still a top-five defensive tackle? It’s a position that’s added plenty of top talent in recent years. But Pro Football Focus ranked him fifth in its recent list only trailing Chris Jones, Dexter Lawrence, Quinnen Williams, and Derrick Brown. Heyward still has his brute strength and so long as it remains in his arsenal, he can be an effective player. It remains to be seen if the Steelers are as optimistic about Heyward’s ability to not only bounce back in 2024 but maintain even deeper into his NFL career.
