Steelers Veteran Cam Heyward Announces Retirement Stance at 37

Retirement talks have surrounded Cam Heyward for the past few years now. He is 37, but has defied the norms by deciding to suit up for the Steelers this season. However, the veteran defensive lineman has now set a deadline for himself.

“You’ve gotta see how the body feels. I’ve got 17 games, hopefully more, in me,” he said on The Rich Eisen Show. “We’ll see how we do after this long playoff run we have. I don’t like to jump the gun. But I will say, if this is not my last year, next year will definitely be my last year because, I have to say, we’re not signing anymore contracts after this.”

Heyward has been in the league for the past 15 years. In that time, he’s made seven Pro Bowls, the last nod coming in 2024, tying him for the second-most among active defensive linemen. His 92.0 career sacks are the most by a Steelers defensive lineman since 1982. 

He is a rare defensive tackle in terms of longevity. Players nearing 40 are expected to slow down or wane. But last season, Heyward tallied 78 total tackles and 3.5 sacks, after an injury-marred season in 2024. Along with that last Pro Bowl nod, he’d also earned a first-team All-Pro nod; his fourth.

According to Heavy, Cam Heyward is second in Steelers history with 228 games played. If he plays the full season and returns next year, he would only have to play five more games in 2027 to surpass Ben Roethlisberger’s appearance record of 249 games.

Pittsburgh has always seen him as a valued player, which will make it difficult for them to part with him. He recorded 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble on Andy Dalton in the 27-3 win against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2019. The very next year, he sealed a four-year, $65.6 million contract extension with the Steelers.

His contributions were enough for Pittsburgh to hand him another extension on September 3, 2024. This time, Heyward signed a three-year, $45 million contract extension. But that was not enough.

Entering the 2026 season, he sealed a one-year extension in March this year, which made his contract worth $32.25 million. He will make $18 million in new money, making it the largest contract awarded to an NFL defensive player in NFL history 36 years or older, per Ian Rapoport.

The one thing that remains unchecked on Cam Heyward’s list is a Super Bowl victory, which hasn’t come Pittsburgh’s way since the 2008 season.

“That’s the thing that bugs me the most at night,” he said in a 2024 video on Steelers.com. “Not having an opportunity to win the Super Bowl. Seeing all my teammates before that won it, seeing the culture and tradition here, every man should feel that way. It stings to be out of the playoffs, not having a chance to continue to move on. I’m not ready to give that up.”

However, the time might come for the Steelers to part with more veteran players next season. Including Heyward, this is one of the oldest rosters in the league, with 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers, 35-year-old Chris Boswell, and 34-year-old Cam Johnston also in the lineup.