Cameron Heyward continues to seek out an adjusted contract before the start of the regular season. With time running out for an agreement to be reached, it does not appear as though a deal will be struck.
Heyward made it known this summer he was aiming for a raise after signing an extension last summer. The 36-year-old left the door open to missing regular season games in the even no restructure was worked out, but it remains to be seen if that will take place. Heyward is still attached to his existing pact as things stand, and on Friday he said (via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor) he is “preparing” to play this week even if no financial changes take place.
“I wish I could be more optimistic,” added Heyward, per Pryor. “Just trying to stay in the moment. I don’t have all the answers. It’s more of me just waiting and see what could happen.”
Though Heyward signed a two-year extension last September with the intention of outplaying the deal and negotiating a raise this year, the Steelers never seemed likely to oblige. They typically avoid engaging in contract talks during the season and rarely extend players with multiple years left on their deal. Though Heyward is still playing at a high level, he is under contract through 2026, per OverTheCap, his age-37 season. Another contract would cost the Steelers more money, both upfront and in guarantees, for years that Heyward may not even play. From a business perspective, it’s difficult to argue with their decision to hold him to his last deal.
Heyward was a full participant in the Steelers’ practice on Friday with no injury designation, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, meaning an absence on Sunday would clearly be a personal, contract-related decision. Would the longtime Steeler take that drastic step? He’s started every game when healthy since Week 6 of 2013 and has a reputation as the hard-nosed leader of Pittsburgh’s defense. Furthermore, holding out during the regular season has rarely led to the desired results for other players. Overall, it seems unlikely that he would take the drastic step of sitting out a regular season game with seemingly little to gain.
Nikhil Mehta contributed to this article.
They callin him sCam Heyward done here in Pittsburgh
Down*
He has a deal. Play it.
Can’t keep renegotiating every year. Would he want the Steelers to demand he renegotiate his deal if he had a subpar season?
Are you serious? The Steelers could easily force him to take a pay cut or be cut if it suited their purposes. Happens all of the time.
Dawgz, and if he refuses he is guaranteed to make the money he already agreed to in the event he is released. Stop.
I dunno. In this case, Cam made a fuss about wanting a new deal last year, and the team bent and did one. He had another age defying season, and now wants to do it again. At this point it seems like it’d show better character to acknowledge that. The comments that he made the offseason really put the spotlight on this; you can’t talk about character and loyalty for months and then hold out/hold in/publically renegotiate after the team rewards you.
Remember, there was serious talk of the Steelers moving on before they offered the extension, and many fans wanted them to. Heyward, of course, had another brilliant year (I wasn’t surprised, but he even exceeded what I thought he would do). He can angle for a new deal now, but it doesn’t make Heyward look like the team and loyalty guy that he has portrayed himself to be and the next time that he extols those virtues it will look much less genuine.
It’s not disloyal or in poor taste to request a new contract on its own, don’t misunderstand me, but the circumstances here are different. This isn’t like Henderson when Cincinnati refused a very reasonable guarantee request, or Parsons where the owner refused to talk to an agent. The Steelers didn’t take advantage of Heyward, and met him in the middle when they could have left him out to dry. It’s just different. In this case, Heyward was treated fairly, and according to his wishes, and now he wants more. It’s not even guarantees that he’s asking for, as I read, which would be reasonable; he just wants more money.
It is disloyal to ask two years in a row at his age after AND hold out. It is a bad look all around for him.
If you give an inch they take a mile and Cam tried to take his this year after being given more than an inch last year.
It’s his hypocrisy, not “greed” (general attitude of many fans, not a quote by you).
Can’t be the rah rah team leader and say what he said about Rodgers and THEN do this without looking like an …
If this was anyone else they would have been gone by now.
If cam is unhappy then send him and his brother elsewhere.
This is beyond selfish at this point.
And here I thought Rodgers would be the drama by now
It goes like this. I’m declining so I’ll sign a 2 year contract to take advantage of the team. Oops, I had a much better year than I anticipated so now I want to do it again so they won’t take advantage of me.
I get wanting more. Cam is great. But, if he wanted to bet on himself last season, he could have and been a FA this offseason. He didn’t. He could have signed a 1 year deal and go into a walk year, proving he is still great. He didn’t. You took the money Cam. We love you but you settled for this deal. You gotta live with it.
I supported a two-year extension for Cam this time last year. He got it. He needs to shut up and play. If he has another career year this year, and that’s a big if, then bump up his 2026 pay. He has $146,332,735 in career earnings. Play ball!!
The only thing I will say in Cam’s defense is he has claimed the Steelers told him it was a 3-year deal to help manipulate the cap better when his side want a 2-year deal, which would have aligned better to renegotiate under team policy better. To me the easy thing to do here is give him a sweetener. Basically take some of the 2026 money ($3-$4m) and give it to him now as a bonus. Then, if he has a good year redo that 2026 number. If he falls off or gets hurt then the team can simply move on.