Since initially contemplating retirement following an injury-riddled 2023 season, Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward has made it clear that he’s looking for a two-year extension to continue playing in Pittsburgh. In an appearance on "The Jim Rome Show," Heyward didn’t have much to say regarding an update to the situation, indicating that a new contract doesn’t appear to be imminent.
Heyward, 35, has spent all 13 of his NFL seasons with the Steelers, somehow getting better with age. Before reaching the fifth-year option of his first-round rookie contact, the Steelers extended Heyward to a six-year, $59.25M deal. Up to that point, Heyward had showed plus attributes as a pass-rusher with a career-high of 7.5 sacks in a season. After missing the team’s final 10 games of the first year of his new contract in 2016, Heyward delivered a career year with 12.0 sacks, 16 tackles for loss and 22 quarterback hits the following season.
Since then, Heyward has perennially been considered one of the top interior pass-rushers in the NFL, missing a Pro Bowl last year for the first time since that breakout season. In addition to a down year, Heyward missed more than two games with injury for the first time since 2016, sitting out six contests near the beginning of the year. That groin injury was part of Heyward’s consideration to hang up his cleats, but the Steelers are expecting Heyward to rebound strongly in 2024.
Since expressing his desires for a new contract, Heyward sat out of all spring activities for Pittsburgh. A month ago, he put forth the idea that he’d like to retire with the Steelers sometime after a new two-year deal. A week later, Heyward reeled in the line a bit, claiming that, should Pittsburgh pass up another contract, he’d be open to playing in a new city in 2025, after his current deal expires.
The only big piece of new information in the interview was that Heyward has already ruled out at least one destination should he hit the free-agent market. Despite having attended college in Ohio with the Buckeyes and having family in the Cleveland area, Heyward doesn’t see himself in Brown and Orange. He claimed that he didn’t think he could play for a Steelers rival with “such bad blood” should he move on. That would likely rule out the Ravens and Bengals, as well, but for now, his focus remains in Pittsburgh.
