Steelers veteran defensive tackle Cam Heyward negotiated a contract extension with the franchise last offseason, which at the time led some of the team's fans to grow frustrated with the aging interior defender.
But Heyward took the extension and then performed admirably after signing it. He played in all 17 games, batting down 11 passes, notching eight sacks with and 71 tackles including12 for loss. He was named First-Team All-Pro for the fourth time in his career.
After a renaissance season, the 36-year-old wants a reworked deal and is sitting out at training camp because of it. The Steelers have been reluctant to pay out more money to Heyward again despite his strong campaign, which likely has much to do with his age.
Former Steelers executive Doug Whaley bashed Heyward for how he's handled the negotiations with the club in a hit on 93.7 The Fan on Wednesday.
"The 15 years of goodwill Cam Heyward has gained in the public and on the team, it's smashed over this lack of foresight," Whaley said. "So to me, it's an abject failure from Cam. So I can understand why he has such vitriol from fans because you should have did this before. ... In the end, it's not on the Steelers. This is on Cam and his camp."
Heyward would love to finish his career with the Steelers, but wants the financial part of the agreement to work. His extension last offseason tacked on contract security through 2026, but now Heyward wants more financial incentive as well.
