One minute, the City of Bridges is gearing up for preseason football against the Jaguars. Next, Cam Heyward drops a line on Instagram that has fans’ jaws hitting the floor: “You either die a hero or live long enough to become the villain.” Coming from a seven-time Pro Bowler, the guy who’s been the heartbeat of Pittsburgh’s defense for more than a decade, the words felt heavy.
Meanwhile, the 36-year-old captain isn’t exactly missing in action. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Heyward has been at camp but is refusing to practice, pushing for a reworked deal. Steelers fans have seen this play before, and not just from Heyward—T.J. Watt used the same playbook before cashing in on his massive extension. But here’s the twist: Heyward’s already pocketed most of his 2025 money through his roster bonus, leaving only $1.3 million in game checks still on the table. That makes this standoff feel a whole lot different.
On top of that, with defensive salaries skyrocketing across the league this offseason, Heyward’s not hiding his stance. When a reporter asked if he was ready to talk about the Steelers, he shut the door instantly. “Sorry, no comment right now,” he said, before turning away to sign autographs. In a way, the silence spoke louder than any rant could. And now, head coach Mike Tomlin has delivered his blunt take on the hold-in.
When asked how the Black and Gold are handling the situation, Tomlin kept it steady. “It’s been good days. You know, we got 90 guys out here, man. Cam’s been doing this a long time. I don’t work Cam a lot in these scenarios. Anyway, I need to know more about Derek Harmon, Y.A. Black, and others, Logan Lee, and so that’s been the mindset that I’ve approached it.” Translation: the show’s going on, whether Heyward’s in pads or not.
Yet, there’s no denying Heyward’s resume speaks for itself. In 2024, he earned All-Pro honors after notching eight sacks, 71 tackles (12 for loss), and swatting down 11 passes. He made his seventh Pro Bowl just a year after an injury cut short his streak of six straight selections. Despite the age factor, Heyward sees last season as proof he’s still elite. His agent started talks with the Steelers back in late February, but clearly, those conversations haven’t landed where he hoped.
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Still, Tomlin frames the whole ordeal as part of the business grind. “It is easy for me. It’s just a component of big business,” he said. “You know, it’s not exclusive to us or to Cam. It’s going on in a lot of locations, man. The great thing about it is we’ve had good relations with Cam since he’s been here. He’s been a heck of a Steeler. We communicate formally and informally. I imagine it’ll remain the same and we’ll find a way to see our way through these things.” However, Heyward feels another way.
Cam Heyward wants his contract to reflect his overall value
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Cam Heyward’s decided to swap his helmet for patience. For a second straight summer, the veteran leader of the Black and Gold is in a hold-in over his deal. Last year’s standoff ended with a two-year extension, but now, the longtime defensive tackle wants a fresh rewrite before the 2025 season gets rolling.
Still, Heyward isn’t coming in empty-handed. He’s got two seasons left on his current deal—$14.75 million this year and $14.5 million in 2026. On paper, those are solid numbers. But when you realize he’s ranked 22nd among interior defensive linemen in annual salary and 36th overall among defensive linemen, the math starts to look different. And he’s not afraid to push this into the regular season if nothing changes.
Moreover, Heyward’s reasoning is pretty simple. “Honestly, I’d love to be valued,” he told reporters after Monday’s practice, via the Tribune-Review. “I know what I bring to this team and what I’m capable of, on and off the field. So, it’s hard for me to, after the year I’ve had, to really justify playing at the number I’m playing at.” Coming off an All-Pro campaign, he clearly feels the paycheck doesn’t match the performance.
And here’s the kicker—this wasn’t a surprise move. Despite signing that new deal less than a year ago, Heyward had already made it clear that he’d be back at the negotiating table if his 2024 season went according to plan.
As Heyward himself put it, “I understand I signed a contract last year, but to be completely honest with you, when I signed that, I told them, ‘When I have an All-Pro year, expect me to come back [to the bargaining table],’” adding with a grin, “I think everybody kind of giggled a little-bit. I used it as motivation.” So, let’s see where this saga lands.
The post Mike Tomlin’s Blunt Message To Cam Heyward’s Hold in As Steelers Captain Threatens Drastic Decision appeared first on EssentiallySports.
