PITTSBURGH --Pittsburgh Steelers star defensive lineman Cam Heyward returned to practice on Tuesday, ending a hold-in that had carried on over the last few weeks as he looks to renew his contract.
Head coach Mike Tomlin said that Heyward returned to individual and team drills on Tuesday, a step forward for the star defensive end. Previously, Heyward had not participated in any drills, and had just stood off to the side.
When asked if anything had changed in the contract discussions, Tomlin said that would be a question for Heyward.
Heyward, who is the second year of a three year contract that runs through 2026, has no guaranteed money left on that deal. When he inked it, the deal averaged just $15 million per season, but after an All-Pro year at 35 years old, Heyward wants more money.
Heyward had eight sacks last season and was arguably the best player of the entire defense. With his leadership status in the locker room, having him around and happy is paramount. Schefter adds the Steelers and Heyward have made no progress on a deal.
Heyward will be 37 years old when the contract ends, though the fact he wants more money means that he believes his longevity is still there. He could have thoughts about playing beyond the contract.
Heyward stated last year that he hopes to play two or three more seasons The Steelers seemed tentative to give Heyward the deal after coming off a season where Heyward suffered a significant groin injury. Now, however, he has proven his game has continued to age well.
Over his career, Heyward has 88.5 sacks, four First-Team All-Pro nods, and seven Pro Bowl selections.
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