Steelers' Cam Heyward Gives Direct Response To ESPN's Dan Orlovsky After Analyst's Negative Comments About Pittsburgh

Despite the Pittsburgh Steelers' signing of veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, many are still on the fence about the team's chances of competing in a packed AFC. A lot will have to go right if the organization wants to make a playoff push for the first time since the 2016 campaign. As is always the case in the Steel City, the team will rely on solid defense, but the hope is that the offensive side of the ball gets a boost in 2025. Training camp will be critical for the entire roster to get on the same page with timing, playbooks, and much more.

It's pretty insane to think that the only two players currently on the depth chart that experienced a Steelers' postseason victory are Cam Heyward and Chris Boswell. Heyward has been the leader of the defense for some time, and isn't afraid to stand up for himself, or his teammates on social media. He noticed ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky talking highly about an AFC foe on the Pat McAfee Show recently, while the analyst continued to downplay Pittsburgh's chances of competing.

While many expect the Denver Broncos to take a leap forward in 2025 with Bo Nix entering his second professional season, the franchise hasn't had a better record than the Steelers since 2015. A decade as gone by with some instability for one organization, while the other continues to defy the odds and finish each year in playoff contention. Heyward had a very simple response to Orlovsky via a gif.

The clear message that Heyward is sending to Orlovsky is that he has not been too positive when it comes to the Steelers in recent months, maybe even years. This is a very subtle way for the veteran defender to put out publicly that he has taken notice to the prominent ESPN figure not truly believing in Pittsburgh as the 2025 season quickly approaches.

Denver is well-coached, but so is Pittsburgh. There's no doubting the fact that both teams can make some noise in 2025, but Orlovsky went a step further by saying that the Broncos will clearly be better than the Steelers. The analyst ended the quick spat on X with a couple of emojis, saluting to Heyward.

Most of this negative media that is being thrown the Steelers' way is nothing new to the fan base. Critics seem to pop up every offseason and make sure to say that Head Coach Mike Tomlin will finally have a losing season, and then the same pundits will end up claiming that he deserves votes for the AP Coach of the Year Award halfway through the campaign. In a sense, Heyward is telling Orlovsky that he is not allowed to board that train later on.

The Steelers have certainly underperformed in the playoffs in the last decade or so, but the team has remained consistent and relevant. Both Pittsburgh and Denver play in gauntlets of divisions, so it will be intriguing to see if Heyward and his group back up his confidence, or if Orlovsky will end up being right.

Steelers Could Be Much Better Than People Are Expecting In 2025

Fans may be frustrated with the lack of postseason success recently, but it is impossible to deny that Tomlin always finds a way to get his group in the conversation come December. With an easier schedule to start the 2025 campaign, pundits who doubted Pittsburgh could be forced into backtracking comments. There's one thing for sure, though, and that's the fact that Heyward won't be accepting any apologies from Orlovsky.

Do you think the Steelers will end up proving Orlovsky wrong in 2025? Let us know in the comments below!

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