Steelers' Cam Heyward Seems To Be Testing The TV Market As Retirement Decision Is Looming

The Pittsburgh Steelers have already gone through a ton of change during the 2026 offseason as former head coach Mike Tomlin stepped down from his role the day after the 2025 season came to a close for the team. That is clearly a major shakeup for the organization, and the franchise went through a search and wound up hiring Mike McCarthy as their new lead man. He has been bringing in a ton of new coaches to fill out his staff, and there is a good chance that the roster will also look very different in 2026 as well. A few major decisions that are looming include decisions on the future of both Aaron Rodgers and Cam Heyward.

Rodgers only signed a one-year deal during the 2025 offseason, and he is currently weighing his options as there is a possibility the quarterback will decide to retire. Heyward is still under contract, but a retirement announcement coming from him seems more likely after the news was announced that Tomlin would be stepping down. The two were very close, and the thought of Heyward playing for another coach is a bit bizarre. Heyward could explore several different careers when he is done playing, but he is getting his feet wet in the analyst world as he will be joining NBC's pregame show for Super Bowl LX.

Heyward is going to be working with Kyle Shanahan, Fred Warner, and Aaron Donald on Super Bowl Sunday. They will all be doing analyst work on the pregame show. This is a world that Heyward could enter full-time once he decides to retire from playing, and that is something he will probably consider as the television networks are usually shelling out a good amount of money to former great players and coaches.

This appearance on Sunday is another instance of Heyward inserting himself into the media world. He has also hosted a very successful podcast over the last several years, and he has been able to show off his personality while giving various opinions through that medium. He can choose to just continue doing his podcast once his playing career is done, but the podcast could also serve as a launching pad into a bigger role on television.

Heyward is still extremely productive and he is one of the best interior defensive lineman in the league. Pittsburgh would be in trouble if he decided to retire, as the depth on the defensive line is already questionable enough. The veteran has seemed to get better with age, but there is a chance that he wouldn't want to play under a coach that isn't Tomlin. His body is also something to consider. He was relatively injury free throughout the 2025 season, but there is no telling how he could be feeling after playing 18 games. The play was still incredible as he was named a Second Team All-Pro, but a retirement from Heyward would not be incredibly surprising.

Steelers Would Benefit Financially From Cam Heyward's Retirement

Heyward only has one more year left on his current contract, and if he were to retire, most of that money could get voided. $12 million of his cap hit in 2026 comes from a roster bonus, so his retirement would void that portion of the deal at the very least. Freeing up cap space could be good for the team, but it would take the franchise some time to find a replacement for Heyward. 

Heyward retiring would leave some large shoes to fill, and the team would be better off if he played out the remainder of his contract. 

What do you think about the idea of Heyward potentially retiring? Let us know in the comments below!

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