After signing a contract extension last September, Cam Heyward had one of his best seasons yet. He was named a first-team All-Pro at 35 years old. As a result, he’s currently looking for the Steelers to restructure his contract to give him more money this year. However, no deal is done yet, and the season is almost here. After hearing about the defensive linemen who are making more money than Heyward, former NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson gave his opinion on the situation.
“I’m gonna tell you how the Rooneys thinking. I’m gonna tell you what [Mike] Tomlin’s thinking,” Johnson said recently on the Nightcap podcast. “How old is Cam Heyward? They’re not doing it; they’re not doing it. They’re not doing it. Everybody you just named, are they even 30 yet? Thirty-six come on now.”
Not many defensive linemen in NFL history have continued to be as elite as Heyward has been this late into his career. That’s why it took the Steelers so long to give him a contract extension last year. He was coming off an injury-riddled 2023, and it seemed unlikely that Heyward would return to form.
However, he proved his doubters wrong. Heyward even called his shot when he signed the contract. Now, the Steelers are stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Heyward hasn’t ruled out skipping regular-season games in order to get what he wants. He’s been the Steelers’ leader for years, and without him, they’re a worse team. However, there’s no guarantee that he’ll put up another elite season this year.
Johnson believes that, ultimately, the Steelers won’t make the kind of commitment to Heyward that he is seeking because of his age. While he has a point, Heyward isn’t wrong to ask for a raise. The defensive lineman market exploded this offseason. Many players who aren’t as good as Heyward are making more money than he is. Yes, they’re younger than him, but that doesn’t equate to skill or talent.
Despite his age, Heyward is worth giving more money to. His value doesn’t just come on the field. Heyward is very important in the Steelers’ locker room. They want to make a Super Bowl run, but their odds at doing that shrink significantly without Heyward. The Steelers have been aggressive this offseason. They should adopt that mentality once again to pay Heyward.
