The Pittsburgh Steelers and DL Cameron Heyward have agreed to a three-year contract extension worth $45 million, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Heyward shared a photo of him and GM Omar Khan inking the deal.
The Steelers made the official announcement moments ago.
Heyward’s contract was set to expire after the 2024 season. The 13th-year veteran had been outspoken about wanting an extension to remain with the Steelers, and he sat out the first two weeks of Pittsburgh’s voluntary OTAs earlier this offseason as he awaited a new contract. However, he was a full participant in training camp and hasn’t been a distraction despite wanting a new contract. Now with the season less than a week away, the Steelers lock up Heyward.
With the Steelers not negotiating contract extensions in-season, the team and Heyward worked to get a deal done ahead of Sunday, and he will now remain in the Black and Gold for three more years.
While the numbers sound gaudy, context is key, especially in a deal like Heyward’s. While we’ll need some time to get details of the deal, Dave Bryan indicates the layout, which likely means Heyward receiving no new money in 2024. This year’s base salary turned into a signing bonus spread out over the extension with non-guaranteed base salaries the two following years.
The extension should keep Heyward as a member of the Steelers for the entirety of his career. He’s previously spoken about his desire to play three more years, putting him through 2026, something this deal achieves. Heyward, the team’s first-round pick in 2011, is a four-time All-Pro selection and six-time Pro Bowler and Pittsburgh’s defensive captain. While Heyward had an injury-plagued 2023 season, he was still a stout run defender, and he’ll look to get back on track in all facets of the game with him being healthy in 2024.
He last spoke to the media on Aug. 28, indicating there was nothing new to report regarding a new deal. Today, there’s news.
Per Dave, this is one possible layout of the deal and reduced 2024 cap charge amount though nothing regarding the deal has been made public beyond Fowler’s tweet.
Heyward has experienced minimal playoff success in Pittsburgh as he was injured during the team’s run to the AFC Championship Game in 2016. The Steelers revamped their offense this year with the additions of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields and hired Arthur Smith as their offensive coordinator while also adding Patrick Queen to their defense. With a new deal in place, hopefully Heyward can pad his resume with a few playoff wins as he seeks to bolster his bid for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Now that a Heyward extension is in place, both he and the Steelers should have minimal distractions in their pursuit for success in 2024 and beyond. The team’s front seven should once again be elite with Heyward, T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Queen in the fold.
The Steelers also have Keeanu Benton along the defensive line, and keeping Heyward around will give him an ideal veteran mentor for several more years. Even with Heyward in the mix, Pittsburgh’s defensive line could still use an infusion of young talent and will still be a need in the draft next season.
But keeping Heyward reduces the need just a bit and keeps the cornerstone of Pittsburgh’s defensive line happy and presumably a lifelong Steeler.
