There are not many more players in the history of the Pittsburgh Steelers who have earned more respect from within the organization and around the NFL than Cameron Heyward. After being drafted in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft, the defensive lineman has certainly made his mark on the Steel City. His efforts on the field have always been fantastic, but his off-the-field actions are what earned him the 2023 NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. Some argue that the honor is the very best that any player in the NFL can receive in his career.
It has been an awesome career on an individual level since he came out of Ohio State University, but he has barely had any playoff success at all. The Steelers are just 3-8 in the postseason since he came to town. It's a legitimate possibility that he never plays in a Super Bowl, not just for Pittsburgh, but for anyone. That would be a shame for one of the more respected Steelers players in the 21st century.
The lineman is entering the final year of his contract in 2024 and will be 35 when the regular season starts. The team might have to extend him to spread out his large cap hit of over $22.4 million. That would simply be a strategy play and now one of the insiders that is closest to the team, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac, thinks 2024 could unfortunately be his last. He wrote in a recent combine preview that defensive end is a critical position to address, especially with Heyward's age.
"Maybe their biggest area of need — defensive end — will not receive the scrutiny typically befitting a No. 1 pick because the position is one of the thinnest at the combine and offers very few first-round candidates. But that doesn’t mean they will ignore the position," Dulac wrote. "Cam Heyward will be 35 in May and playing what is likely the final of his 14 seasons with the team, and finding his replacement — a Pro Bowl-type player — would otherwise be their priority."
Dulac has been saying for a couple years that Pittsburgh needs to inject some youth into their defensive line. Keeanu Benton was a great start in 2023, but more is needed. The draft class is weak, but the Steelers are running out of time and relying on Heyward's durability hurt them when he missed several games due to a groin injury in 2023.
DeMarvin Leal took a big step back in his second year with the team while Larry Ogunjobi did not live up to expectations after signing a three-year extension in the 2023 offseason. Solid rushing attacks wore the Steelers out at times and there is definitely a need for depth and youth moving forward. It could be the final year for a young player to learn under Heyward's leadership.
Dulac didn't specifically note if it could be his last year because of retirement or the team deciding to move on, but Heyward has mentioned how tough his 13th season weighed on him from a fatigue standpoint. He went through surgery and rushed to get back, affecting his play down the stretch of the season. Anything can happen, but Pittsburgh is not likely to welcome him back, even if he does want to play beyond 2024. He might be forced to make the decision to retire as a Steeler over signing a one-year contract to play elsewhere for 2025.
Steelers And The City Of Pittsburgh Will Certainly Miss Heyward Once He Moves On
If Heyward does end up retiring, he will continue to provide incredible community work as he has done his entire career. He will be out of the spotlight, though. Fans and the organization alike will be sad to see him no longer lace his cleats up on Sundays. He has had a Hall of Fame-caliber career, and if Dulac is right with his assumptions, Steelers fans everywhere should enjoy every snap Heyward plays in 2024.
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