Cam Heyward made history before the bye week when he played in his 202nd game. That is the most in Pittsburgh Steelers franchise history for a defensive player. He won’t ever pass Ben Roethlisberger for total starts (247), but there is a chance he could pass him in games played (249).
With a 17-game regular season, and even if they shift to an 18-game season over the next few years, he is going to need another contract extension at the end of his recent three-year deal. If he stays fully healthy, he would pass Roethlisberger in the 2027 season when he is 38 years old.
“I’d like to break the record,” Heyward said via Scoop City with Dianna Russini and Chase Daniel when asked about recently logging his 202nd game with the Steelers. “We’ll see, we’ll take it year by year, but Ben set the bar pretty high. And what, I think he’s at 249, so that’s a good chunk of games. But I’d like to take a swing at it.”
Heyward was able to recite that number of Roethlisberger off the top of his head pretty easily. It is pretty clear he has already thought about achieving this impressive feat, though maybe he looked it up out of curiosity following his record on Monday Night Football against the Giants.
Would anyone be that surprised at this point if Heyward ends up doing it? After an offseason of contract negotiations, with local media and the fan base questioning whether the Steelers should actually extend him, Heyward has returned to elite form at 35 years old. He is the No. 1 graded defensive lineman via Pro Football Focus and one of just two DL with “elite” grades over 90.0 on the season.
The team sack total is down from recent years with opposing offenses getting rid of the ball in a hurry against this defensive front. Even still, Heyward has logged 3.0 sacks to pass his total from last year’s injury-plagued season. With any luck he will end up with four or five more down the stretch.
Heyward recently dressed up as Wolverine for Halloween, which is a curious choice given that he is an Ohio State alum. It turns out, there was a real meaning behind that costume related to his pursuit of playing more years of football.
“Wolverine was in the Deadpool movie and they said he could play till he is 90 or he could do it ’til he is 90,” Heyward said of actor Hugh Jackman playing Wolverine at 56 years old. “And I was thinking that kind of fits my M.O. these days. Everybody wants me to retire, or everybody thinks I’m supposed to be done. Maybe I’ll just play till I’m like 75 years old. That’s a joke by the way.”
Is anyone still doubting Heyward at this point?
