Steelers' Cameron Heyward Has Found Key To Success For New Teammate

The Pittsburgh Steelers saw some growth on the defensive side of the ball in Week 3. Obviously, there is still a lot to clean up and work on, but it is a step in the right direction. There were some personnel changes made to help in the run game, and that definitely went well. The New England Patriots' running backs combined for 22 carries for just 74 yards and three fumbles against Pittsburgh. Even if the turnover part of it is certainly unsustainable, the defense needs to find a way to do that well overall consistently. 

Part of the equation of that success was safety Jabrill Peppers getting a lot more reps, as he was praised by his coach and teammates after the game concluded. He did admit to having more motivation in this game, since the Patriots just cut him and he wanted revenge. That is exactly what he got as he was a major piece to the 21-14 victory. 

With that in mind, defensive captain Cameron Heyward came up with a plan to have him be dominant throughout the season. He explained what that idea was during a press conference before the team departed to Ireland for its Week 4 matchup.

"Well [Jabrill Peppers] got to play against New England; he got to play against his old team," Heyward said. "We've been telling him, 'We need that from here on out, so you need to envision playing against New England from here on out.'"

Sometimes, players will try and play mind games with themselves to add motivation, even if it doesn't always make sense. Peppers does not have any grudges against the Steelers' Week 4 opponent, the Minnesota Vikings. However, if he can find any reason to want revenge on them, maybe he can continue to dominate like he did against the Patriots.

Whether he finds a reason to hate the Vikings or not, the Steelers will expect him to build on his latest performance. He has earned the starting safety role, but he can lose it as quick as he got it if he slows down. The Vikings have one of the most explosive running games in the NFL, so if Peppers is not on his A game, the defense as a whole could suffer as a result. 

The idea that Peppers should pretend that he's playing against the Patriots all the time sounds ridiculous, but if it works, nobody will complain about it in the Steel City. As Heyward said, the team has been telling him to do that if it means getting the best version of him week in and week out. Peppers knows that there are lots of expectations for him now. He has to do whatever it takes to step up. 

At this point, Peppers is on a one-year deal, and he will have to be fighting for snaps once DeShon Elliott returns from his injury. All it takes is one rough game for him to be buried in the depth chart with Elliott and Chuck Clark playing most of the snaps at safety. If he can keep playing great, he could potentially battle Clark for a bigger role.

Steelers May Be Willing To Reward Peppers At Season's End

Elliott is the only safety on the team that is currently signed for more than just the 2025 season. That means Clark, Peppers, and Juan Thornhill are fighting for more than just snaps: they are looking to keep their jobs or at least impress another team enough to get signed in March. If the former Patriot keeps pretending to play against his old team, then he could be brought back.

What do you think about Heyward saying that Peppers should pretend to play against the Patriots? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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