Pittsburgh Steelers DL Cameron Heyward didn’t want to go into the 2024 season on the last year of his contract. Turning 35 and coming off a significant injury, he knew the odds didn’t favor him. He also knew that he has repeatedly defied the odds and become a Hall-of-Fame-caliber player. So he pushed for a new contract –and the Steelers finally obliged—against the advice of his brother.
“Before the season, I told him, ‘Don’t even sign a contract, honestly’”, Connor Heyward said, via Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. He added, “’Bet on yourself’”. Well, the Steelers bet on him, and after a Pro Bowl year, they have him for two more seasons.
While he started every game, the Steelers did slightly curb his snaps with an eye toward preserving his body. Heyward still played nearly 800 snaps and put up some of the best stats among interior defensive linemen. All told, he recorded 71 tackles with 12 for loss, 11 passes defensed, and 8 sacks. As his 20 quarterback hits indicate, he certainly could have had a 10-sack year.
Still, there is something to be said for Connor Heyward’s point of view. After all, Cameron was bargaining from a position of weakness. Few even thought that the Steelers would actually sign him to an extension. Even elite defensive linemen often fall off the proverbial cliff at his age. And once injuries start to mount, there is often no going back.
Cameron Heyward himself watched that play out with Aaron Smith at the start of his career. Because of injuries, the former Steelers great only played 15 games in his final three seasons. In Smith’s last, Heyward’s first, he played just four games, registering eight tackles.
Smith was 35 that season, the same age Heyward is now, having come off a significant injury. In Heyward’s case, though, he returned that season, but played hurt, and it affected his ability to play. That reduced performance influenced how many perceived the Steelers’ best defensive lineman of the 3-4 era.
Ultimately, Heyward signed a three-year, $45 million deal, which included the 2024 season. He was already due to earn $16 million, and the Steelers kept his earnings flat. They only gave him another $29 million in new money over the two additional years.
So from that perspective, one might argue Cameron should have listened to Connor. Having proven capable of returning to Pro Bowl form, and with the opportunity to hit the open market, the Steelers may have been willing to pay even more.
