During the 2024 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers have relied heavily on young players. Across the roster, players on their rookie contracts are stepping up as the team’s depth suffers. A couple of those players, including NT Keeanu Benton, are making an impact on defense.
Benton’s role is continuing to evolve during his sophomore season. He’s been growing as an important piece on the defensive line, a unit that has remained strong throughout the year. In that group, Benton’s around quite a few quality veteran players.
One of those players is Cam Heyward. Heyward is one of the most iconic Steelers in recent memory. At this point, he knows pretty much everything there is to know about being a player in the NFL. He’s been using that experience to help some younger players on the roster, like Benton. Benton joined Dale Lolley and Matt Williamson on SNR Drive on Wednesday, where he spoke about Heyward’s impact on him.
“Cam is an awesome person, man,” Keeanu Benton said of his teammate. “He’s an awesome leader. He’s a guy who took me under his wing since I got here and just kind of showed me the way. What I mean by that is how to go about business, how to take care of my body off the field, the things that he eats, the recovery steps that he takes. It’s a lot of things he’s taught me besides football that will help me stay in this thing a long time.”
NFL players are assessed based on their on-field production. However, it’s not as simple as showing up to games and playing well. As Benton mentions, there are a ton of things that go into being a good player and a good teammate. Those include managing your diet, recovery, and understanding the logistics of being an NFL player.
Heyward understands all of that at this point in his career. Now, alongside playing quality football, his job is to mentor young players on the roster, exactly like Benton. Steelers fans will be happy to hear of the connection these two have made. Benton’s words speak to the level of importance Heyward has in the Steelers locker room.
As for Keeanu Benton, he’s becoming a key member of the Steelers’ defense. With Pittsburgh facing tough tests in the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs, Benton and the rest of the defensive line need to remain strong.
