Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward has not been a full participant in training camp due to a contract dispute with the team, but head coach Mike Tomlin has made his expectations for Heyward very clear.
With the New York Jets on tap for Week 1 of the regular season, Tomlin is anticipating that Heyward will play, via ESPN's Brooke Pryor.
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Heyward landed a two-year, $29 million contract extension with the Steelers last September, a deal that will take him through 2026. But apparently, the star defender is not happy with his contract and wants a new one.
Considering that Heyward is 36 years old and, again, just struck a fresh agreement with Pittsburgh last fall, his displeasure has understandably been met with some blowback. But clearly, Heyward feels that his play speaks for itself.
Heyward racked up 71 tackles, eight sacks and 11 passes defended in 2024, resulting in a Pro Bowl appearance and a First-Team All-Pro selection. It was actually one of them most productive campaigns of Heyward's career.
A late bloomer, the Ohio State alum entered the NFL as a first-round pick in 2011 and did not make his first Pro Bowl until 2017, when he rattled off 45 tackles and 12 sacks. That marked the first of six straight trips to the Pro Bowl for Heyward, with his only miss since then coming in 2023 when he missed six games due to injury.
There is no doubt that Heyward is one of the Steelers' most important players, so not having him aboard for Week 1 — and potentially beyond — would be devastating to a Pittsburgh squad with Super Bowl aspirations.
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The Steelers added big names like Aaron Rodgers, D.K. Metcalf and Jalen Ramsey this offseason, hoping to re-establish themselves as legitimate championship contenders after having not won a playoff game in eight years.
We'll see if Heyward ultimately takes the field this Sunday.
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