When push comes to shove, The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly thinks Cam Heyward will have a new contract in hand before Sept. 8th’s opener against the Atlanta Falcons. And it might be Team President Art Rooney II that pushes the deal over the hump. Opining on Heyward’s uncertain future on Sunday night’s #1 Cochran Sports Showdown, Kaboly still believes Heyward will receive the extension he’s looking for.
“First of all, I know he wants to be here,” Kaboly told KDKA’s Bob Pompeani. “They want him to be here. The numbers can come together correctly. I think the Steelers and Art Rooney will step in at some point and say let’s get this done.”
Heyward has made headlines about a new deal since May when he declined attending most of the team’s voluntary OTAs. He skipped the first two weeks before showing up for two practices the final week, missing the last day due to an obligation with the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award Committee. Heyward attended all three days of mandatory minicamp but his practice reps were either limited or absent.
As Kaboly notes, numbers are key. Is Heyward willing to do a no-new-money extension similar to SS Troy Polamalu and TE Heath Miller of a decade ago? Or will he look for something more substantial to give him leverage to play out the rest of his career, noting he wants to play through 2026. In the past, Heyward’s worthiness or probability over a contract hasn’t been a discussion, always a matter of “when” instead of “if.” But at 35 years old, age and last year’s groin injury introduce new wrenches into the negotiation.
Kaboly thinks overpaying Cam Heyward is acceptable.
“People aren’t gonna like this, but if you have to overpay to keep Cam Heyward, I think I’m okay with that. How much he’s meant the organization. People are probably flipping out now. Not grossly overpay him but overpay a little bit just to keep him around. I think it’s well worth it, what he means to the organization.”
Correct. Fans won’t like hearing it and I’ll meet you all in the comments about it. Heyward’s received significant blowback for his contract demands, the first time the fanbase has ever turned against him. In recent weeks, Heyward has largely remained quiet about his situation but didn’t have much to offer in a last week interview with Jim Rome, saying he’s playing football next year even if that means going elsewhere.
There’s no question the kingmakers of the organization respect Heyward: Mike Tomlin, Omar Khan, Rooney. But business is business and the Steelers want to be smart about their approach.
As we’ve noted before, the first line in the sand is soon approaching. Training camp kicks off July 25. If Heyward has no deal by then, will be hold-in? The odds seem good. The team’s self-imposed policy cuts off contract talks once the regular season begins, setting Sept. 7th as the final deadline. If no deal occurs by then, Heyward will be a free agent next March.
