Pittsburgh Steelers DL Cameron Heyward is the ageless wonder—at least, he isn’t showing his age yet. Now 35 years old, he is arguably playing as well as ever, no small feat considering his injuries last season. Neither he nor the Steelers, and certainly not DC Teryl Austin, take that for granted. They know how rare this is, not just the numbers he is putting up, but the quality of his play.
“I’m assuming you could probably go back and dig up the record books and look through all the film and all that stuff”, Austin said, via transcript from the Steelers’ relations media department, when asked about the rarity of what Heyward is doing this season. “There’s probably just a handful of guys that have been able to do it. To his credit, he’s one of them. I’m glad. I’m glad he’s with us”.
Through 13 games, Cameron Heyward is has eight sacks, with 55 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 19 QB hits, and eight batted passes. If he were not to make the All-Pro team this season, it would be an injustice. It’s bad enough the Steelers great was left off the All-Pro team in 2022 before his injury-plagued 2023 campaign.
Barring his injury-compromised 2023 season, Heyward has recorded at least sacks in all but one season since 2017. He has three double-digit sack seasons in that span and could post his fourth in 2024. He only needs two more over the last four games to accomplish the feat.
“The things I admire, obviously his play, but his leadership”, Teryl Austin said of Heyward. “He is always involved in all the things that we’re doing. Still asks good questions. He asks a lot of really good questions for a guy [his age]. So, I think that all rubs off on some of the younger guys. In addition to how well he’s playing, I think the way he conducts business, the way he carries himself is really important and valuable for our room. Not just the d-line, but just for our room”.
Cameron Heyward, of course, has been a Steelers captain for 10 consecutive seasons going back to 2015. He is arguably one of the most respected men in the history of the franchise, on and off the field. The fact that he won the Walter Payton Man of the Year only adds to a legacy that should soon include a seventh Pro Bowl and fifth All-Pro selection.
What’s even more remarkable is the fact that the Steelers would be in bad shape without him. While Keeanu Benton is a talented player, and you can see that when he plays, he is just not putting up the numbers. Heyward is still producing and knows how to produce and does it consistently.
The Steelers won’t easily replace him whenever he does finally retire. The way he is going right now, he looks like he can play another three years. And, hey, Calais Campbell is still playing at 38 and even has four sacks this year. I’m certainly not going to be the one who tries to tell Cameron Heyward what he can’t do.
