Steelers’ Cameron Heyward on retirement talk: ‘When I do something, I put my whole heart into it’
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Still at the top of his game, there is no tangible evidence Cameron Heyward’s NFL career is over.
But whether it’s psychological or motivational or something else, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ longtime captain continues to decline to definitively say he will be back for a 14th season with the team.
Speaking on his weekly video podcast released Wednesday, Heyward spoke a similar tone about his future as he did Sunday after the Steelers’ season-ending win against the Cleveland Browns.
“I want to keep playing.” Heyward said during his “Not Just Football With Cam Heyward” show on uploaded YouTube.
“I want to continue to be a Pittsburgh Steeler. But there’s been so many times in my life that guys I have played with have retired, guys I thought were coming back the next year, have retired. I can’t play forever, and I understand that. And I always have to be ready for that. I will continue to just learn and keep trying to get better. But it can’t just be me. Shoot, the Steelers have got to want me back, too.”
Heyward’s verbiage Sunday included “I want to take time to think about what’s going on,” and “I’d love to be here, but you don’t know the plans.”
The implication from Heyward was he might not be welcomed back by the Steelers for his age-34 season. While his scheduled $15.85 million salary and $22.26 million salary-cap hit might suggest that is theoretically possible, as a first-team AP All-Pro for three of the past six seasons, Heyward remains one of the NFL’s best interior defensive linemen.
Heyward in 2022 graded out as the fifth-best among 66 qualifying interior defensive linemen by Pro Football Focus, in large part because he ranked No. 3 in quarterback pressures with 58. His 10½ sacks ranked tied for 17th in the NFL and fifth among defensive tackles.
The Steelers, with Heyward a major reason, also improved to ninth in team rushing defense after finishing last in the NFL in 2021. The Steelers’ longest-tenured player, Heyward also is in his eighth year as a defensive captain.
Still, Heyward doesn’t want to be presumptuous he will be asked back.
“I’ve just got to give my body time to rest,” said Heyward, who turns 34 in May. “You take in so much through the season, and I don’t ever want to short-change this. That’s one thing I’ll never do. When I do something, I put my whole heart into it.
“But I have to do what’s best for me. I have to do what’s best for my family. I have to see if I can keep playing up to a standard.”
Tomlin on Heyward wondering if he's wanted back:
"Cam is the same type of guy who'll put a tape job of his last name on his helmet in training camp. That's just who he is, he takes none of this for granted.. he is special because he has a special approach"https://t.co/MXvVWq1WsM— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) January 9, 2023
Heyward has not missed a game because of injury over the past six seasons. The only two games he has sat out were regular-season finales in which coach Mike Tomlin rested veterans.
Tomlin on Monday laughed off talk Heyward might not return in 2023, dismissing it as Heyward’s take-no-chances, make-no-assumptions, keep-yourself-motivated personality.
“Cam is the same type of guy that will put a tape job with his last name on the front of his helmet in a training camp-like setting,” Tomlin said, referencing a practice most associated with rookies and unknown younger players. “That’s what makes him who he is. He takes none of this for granted, and that’s just an expression of that.
“He is special because he has a special approach, because he is legitimately humble and hard-working, and he takes none of this for granted, so that’s probably what that was.”
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