Steelers' Connor Heyward Has Teammates Trusting Him; "He's Going To Be A Player Here"

The Pittsburgh Steelers took a shot at Connor Heyward in the 6th round, pick 208 of last year's NFL Draft. Towards the end of the season, however, you would have not thought that Heyward was a 6th-round pick. Starting the year, he wasn't thrown a single pass in the first four games and finished the season with 3 catches for 45 yards in Week 18.

What made Heyward so unique is the athleticism he displayed at the tight end position. Being a 6-foot, 230-pound tight end, you would not expect him to make plays that some wide receivers couldn't even make. But we should've all known he would defy the odds by knowing who his father and brother are. 

“Growing up, I was just used to playing all over the field,” Connor Heyward said via the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, “so whenever the ball’s in the air, I just want to make the catches.”

Steelers Keeping It In The Family

Heyward's family tie with the Steelers is what originally intrigued fans when we first drafted him. His brother Cameron Heyward has been one of the faces of the franchise in recent years. Cameron has had multiple All-Pro seasons and Pro Bowls, as well as being the Steelers nomination for the Walter Peyton Man of the Year. But he and his little brother are most definitely different. For starters in size, Cameron is 5 inches taller and about 70 pounds heavier than his little brother, as well as they play completely different positions. Although Connor is not where his brother is yet, Cameron had this to say about his little brother's potential: 

“He continues to just keep growing, and he’s got a high ceiling. The kid can play. And he wants to be good,” Cam Heyward said.

With uncertainty about the fate of the tight end position for the Steelers in 2023, Heyward could potentially make his way into the number two tight end position. The potential departure of Zach Gentry in the free agency could bring more possibilities to the usage of Heyward as well. Gentry, who is up against Heyward for a position on the roster, had this to say about Heyward and what we could see from him going forward.

“We were watching the film from [week 3 vs Cleveland], and it’s just funny to see how much different of a player he is,” Gentry said the day after the second Browns game. “Not that he’d done a poor job that first game, but you can see how much more confident he is on the field and see that he knows what he’s doing before he does it.

“He knew what he was doing (before), but now he certainly knows what he’s doing now. It’s cool to see him grow up and make more plays. He’s going to be a player here for a while.”

Connor Heyward's potential is what makes him so unique. The nickname "Meatball" that his brother Cameron had given him does not go with the style of play and production he has brought to the team. Averaging 12.6 yards per catch and the 13.5 rushing yards he had on two carries, showed a player that I was not expecting to see when we drafted him. Connor had this to say about what last season was like, even with the little usage he got:

“This year, I felt way more comfortable compared to what I was doing last year in college. In college, I felt like I was doing really good — but I didn’t know why I was doing what I was doing. Now I am just understanding the game so much more and playing so much faster.”

So, what do you think, Steeler Nation? Could we see Connor Heyward leap into the starting position in 2023? Let me know in the comments below!

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