Pittsburgh’s defense has taken a major hit just one week into the season. On Tuesday, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin confirmed that star defensive tackle Cam Heyward will undergo groin surgery.
Heyward left Sunday’s season opener against San Francisco in the second quarter with the injury. He did not return to the contest. While Tomlin could not provide a timeline, it sounds like he will miss a significant amount of time.
“Cam is out. I don’t have a lot of details in terms of scheduling, in terms of his surgery or what that might look like,” Tomlin said during his presser. “I’ll give you an update on the other side of the surgery when we get a complete totality of time and what it is. … Obviously, losing Cam is significant. But that’s what team is about. Replacing Cam is not a one-man job, it is a multiple-man job and a coach’s job.”
Pittsburgh dropped the Week 1 contest to San Francisco 30-7. The Steelers play Cleveland on Monday Night Football in Week 2.
Heyward is a six-time Pro Bowl selection and a three-time pick to the All-Pro first team. The 34-year-old just started 13th NFL season, all of which have been spent in Pittsburgh.
Steelers could be without WR Diontae Johnson in Week 2
Tomlin’s bad news regarding injuries didn’t stop with Heyward. The Steelers will likely be without wide receiver Diontae Johnson this Sunday due to a hamstring injury. His status remains up in the air at this time, though.
“We will wait and take a picture of that to get a realistic look at how long that might be, but I think it’s reasonable to assess that he won’t be available to us this week,” Tomlin said.
Johnson played in the opener against the 49ers, totaling 48 yards on three catches for the Steelers.
Last season, Johnson proved to be a reliable target for Kenny Pickett. He hauled in 86 catches for 882 yards, although he concluded the year without a touchdown reception.
In 2021, Johnson earned his first Pro Bowl selection. That year, he racked up 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns on 107 receptions.
So, entering Week 2, Pittsburgh will have significant losses on both sides of the football. And after suffering such a lopsided loss to the 49ers in Week 1, that’s not a promising sign.
Pittsburgh’s matchup against Cleveland next Monday is set for an 8:15 p.m. kickoff with coverage on ABC and ESPN+.
More must-reads: