This offseason has brought several storylines for the Pittsburgh Steelers that might annoy fans. The Aaron Rodgers saga is a good example. However, there have been some other, more fun storylines to follow. That includes the little back-and-forth that’s gone on between Cam Heyward and Las Vegas Raiders offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson. It started with Powers-Johnson talking about how he wants to face Heyward again, with Heyward responding to that comment. Now, Powers-Johnson has come forth with his retort.
“Speaking to Cam [Heyward], you did beat me,” Powers-Johnson said Tuesday on The Rush with Maxx Crosby. “He did beat me. I got my ass kicked that day. I understand, but I want to go against the best. I’m never gonna back down against that. I would love to play against him again, and I hope he has a great career.”
Initially, Powers-Johnson explained that Heyward gave him his “Welcome to the NFL” moment last year. The Steelers faced the Raiders in Week 6 last year, and Heyward beat Powers-Johnson to get a sack. However, Powers-Johnson felt more like he beat himself on that rep, stating his desire to get another shot at Heyward.
Heyward didn’t seem to love that Powers-Johnson wasn’t giving him more credit for that win. He made sure to let everyone know that he beat the rookie more than once that day.
Now, Powers-Johnson is owning up to the fact that Heyward was the better player that day. There’s no shame in that, though. Powers-Johnson was a rookie, and Heyward ended last year as a First-team All-Pro. He’s also a 14-year veteran who’s been dominant for years. It isn’t surprising that Powers-Johnson had a tough day against Heyward.
It’s admirable to hear that Powers-Johnson wants a chance to prove himself against Heyward. Unfortunately, the Steelers aren’t scheduled to play the Raiders this year. Unless the two teams meet in the playoffs, the rematch will have to be put on hold.
However, at 36 years old, there’s no telling how many more years Heyward will play. He looked incredible last year, but Father Time catches everyone eventually. Hopefully, Heyward can stick around long enough to play against Powers-Johnson again. They’ll both likely have a little more to prove if they have a second meeting.
We’ll see if Heyward has another response for Powers-Johnson. This saga has been a fun one to follow, with an up-and-coming offensive lineman poking at one of the most accomplished defensive linemen in the league right now. With the history between the Steelers and Raiders, it’s a fun throwback to one of Pittsburgh’s oldest rivals.
