The Pittsburgh Steelers have a long-standing history of success, and a lot of players take pride in being able to wear the black and gold. There are a handful of elite players that have been able to spend their entire career in Pittsburgh, one of which being standout defender Cam Heyward. Heyward is the longest-tenured player on the current roster as he was drafted in 2011, and he is signed through the 2026 season. That means he will be known as a one-helmet guy when he finally decides to retire.
Heyward has been one of the best defensive lineman in the NFL throughout his career, and he is still playing at a high level despite being 35-years old. The veteran had a rough year in 2023 as he battled injuries, and a lot of fans were caught by surprise when he threatened holding out of offseason activities ahead of the 2024 season if he did not get an extension. His contract was going to be up following 2024, but he got a new deal that would keep him in Pittsburgh through 2026.
After the 2023 season, Heyward had a lot running through his mind. He had struggled with various injuries, and retirement was obviously an option for the leader of the defense. Heyward went on The Pivot on Friday, and he shared how Head Coach Mike Tomlin convinced him to come back.
back, you know, it was a long season," Heyward explained. "I'm talking about retirement, you know, a lot of things on my mind. I got in the meeting and this dude [Tomlin] had a whole plan of how the meeting was going to go. Because he is asking me about how I am thinking, I'm saying I'm coming back. We leave the meeting, he brings me into the scouting room. He's got a list of everybody at my position, their age, what they've accomplished. This dude, he had a plan. He finds ways to motivate guys, in and out of every season."
Tomlin knew that retirement was going to be on Heyward's mind, and after the star defender had a rough season riddled with injuries, it was safe to assume it was a possibility. The head coach found a way to motivate his defensive leader by showing him what he has done compared to everyone else across he league, which was likely a reason Heyward bounced back so strong in 2024.
Steelers' Cam Heyward Explains Why Mike Tomlin Is One Of The Best
Since the 2024 season ended, there has been a lot of turmoil surrounding Tomlin. His team has not won a playoff game since the 2016 season, and the constant mediocrity has the fan base extremely frustrated. Fans may be upset, but the players in the locker room are still thankful to have him as their coach, and his message still resonates.
"I think that's what makes him so much better than every coach," Heyward continued. "He knows how to motivate players in and out, and it doesn't have to be some great, big monster speech. He can get it down to just an individual basis where it's like, 'You've done this, let's see if you can hit this again.'"
Heyward explains Tomlin's motivation as a way of challenging his players. He spoke to Heyward about how he had a monster season in 2017, but didn't know if the defender could ever get back to that level. Heyward certainly responded, as he was named First Team All-Pro in 2024.
Heyward had one of his best seasons in 2024, and he was able to play in and start all 17 games. The veteran recorded eight sacks along with 71 tackles and 11 batted down passes. He didn't look like a player that was near the end of his career, which makes his extension ahead of the 2024 season a great move by the organization.
