In typical Pittsburgh Steelers fashion, Omar Khan is keeping things in-house. While Jerry Jones makes waves with every comment about Micah Parsons’ contract demands, Khan declined to go on record about Cam Heyward and Chris Boswell searching for revised contracts before the season begins.
“I’m not gonna get into contractual,” Khan said Tuesday morning during an interview aired by 102.5 DVE. “As you guys know, we’re not gonna discuss contractual issues. I’ve known those guys for a long time, and I’m confident saying that those guys wanna be world champions. And that’s what we’re seeking. That’s what we all want.”
Khan is smartly taking the high road one day after Heyward floated missing regular-season games until his contract demands are met. Heyward didn’t specifically outline what he was looking for beyond being “valued” more than he currently is, citing his low pay relative to defensive tackles and defensive linemen across the league. He also confirmed a Monday conversation with Khan and that talks are ongoing, though he gave no indication how close the two sides are to an agreement.
After signing an extension last year, even if it was one that provided on-paper security more than new money, public sentiment has been against Heyward and in favor of the Steelers’ front office.
Boswell has yet to speak to the media and reporters noted he declined to speak with the media yesterday. The NFL’s best kicker, he’s not even among the league’s top 10 in terms of average yearly value. Pittsburgh doesn’t offer extensions to non-quarterbacks two years before a player’s contract expires, and Boswell’s deal runs through 2026. The Steelers could work around that by pushing 2026 money into 2025, giving him a short-term raise before doing a true extension next summer, assuming Boswell has another strong performance. That seems inevitable to happen before the season begins.
Pittsburgh’s goal was to avoid contract “drama” before training camp opened. Aaron Rodgers was signed. The Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith deals were completed. T.J. Watt was inked, avoiding the month-long mess of his 2021 negotiations. It was a situation Mike Tomlin specifically wanted done before Latrobe.
But before the Steelers start the regular season against the New York Jets, there’s two more deals they have to figure out. Of course, the Steelers could choose to do nothing and make Heyward and Boswell play out their current deals, but Pittsburgh figures to do something with two of the franchise’s best and longest-tenured players.
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