The Pittsburgh Steelers awarded veteran defensive tackle Cameron Heyward with a new contract. And while it was expected and it’s a positive for fans to know Heyward will now likely spend his entire career wearing only the Black and Gold, it creates a risky situation for the Steelers moving forward.
On Tuesday, Heyward inked a deal that’s reportedly worth up to $45M over three years, and is believed to be the largest deal ever signed by a defensive player aged 35 and above, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Also per Fowler’s reporting, $29M of this deal is from new money and $16M of it is guaranteed.
At 35, this contract sets Heyward up to retire with the Steelers, the same franchise that drafted him in the first round in 2011.
But will Hayward actually play out the life of the deal? And even if he does, what kind of production will he provide?
Not only is it unlikely any athlete, let alone an NFL defensive lineman, continues to produce at a high level as he ages, but Heyward has already showed signs of slowing down.
In fact, Heyward is coming off his worst season on the field in years. In 2023, Heyward played in only 11 games and registered only 33 tackles – his lowest total since his injury plagued 2016 season.
To be fair, he did play in every game in both the 2021 and 2022 seasons, recording 89 (his single season best) and 74 tackles, respectively. He also reached double digits in tackles for loss in those years, but then dipped to just six last season.
So why did the Steelers decide to reward Heyward with a new deal?
Well, Heyward has been the one constant mainstay throughout the transition from the Ben Roethlisberger era to the present day life of the franchise. His leadership is irreplaceable and he is usually a presence on the field when healthy.
However, the reality of the situation is simple — Heyward is being rewarded for his past much more than any projection concerning his future.
The NFL is a business, and one with a salary cap. So now that Heyward will remain on the books, and for a big price tag, that means the Steelers will be limited in other areas. It means Pittsburgh will have a tough time finding another Pro Bowl caliber defensible tackle to replace him if his production continues to decline and his body breaks down.
Heyward knows he’s now facing pressure to prove those who believe the Steelers aren’t making a smart business decision wrong.
“I’ve had to eat (criticism) and absorb it,” Heyward told Will Graves of the Associated Press on Monday.
“Everybody’s entitled to their opinion, but I want to make their opinion wrong, and I think I just look forward to playing good football,” he added.
On the plus side, Heyward has a newfound motivation beyond trying to win his first Super Bowl title. He even seems to understand the assignment that still exists for him as an individual player, too.
But with that said, Father Time is undefeated and it’s possible Heyward won’t be able to live up to his end of the bargain, no matter how hard he tries.
