The Truth Is Revealed Behind Steelers And Cam Heyward's Contract Debacle

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had very similar offseasons in each of the last few years. The quarterback situation is always up in the air, the team needs a reliable second wide receiver, and fans are left questioning if certain players will be back on the roster in 2026. Things are even harder to predict this time around due to the fact that it is nearly an entirely new coaching staff running the show, and the local media in Pittsburgh is unfamiliar with how these guys are going to operate. One player fans are keeping an eye on is veteran defensive tackle Cam Heyward, as he has been in tense contract situations in each of the past two offseasons.

Heyward held out for an extension before the 2024 season, and he eventually wound up signing a three-year, $45 million deal. That deal has him under contract through the 2026 season, but the contract was revised after Heyward held out once again before the 2025 season. The situation was eventually resolved as incentives were just added on for the 2025 season, but those incentives were fairly out of reach. Beat writer Mark Kaboly joined 93.7 The Fan to discuss Heyward's situation as fans continue to speculate that more of the same may occur before the 2026 season.

"I think it's ridiculous anybody says anything about him," Kaboly said of Heyward. "He wants an extra $10 million this year? Give it to him. You know, he basically backed off last year. Just added incentives that weren't going to be reached. He basically just stood with the same exact contract, if you're going to do that to me this year, I'm going to want more attainable things to get, you know?"

Kaboly made it clear that the hold out prior to the 2025 season ended because Heyward took the high road and essentially gave in to the organization. He basically settled for incentives to be added to his deal that were pretty out of reach. The two marks that would have triggered an incentive for Heyward were him eclipsing eight sacks during the regular season and the team makes the postseason, while the other was 11.5 sacks and a postseason win. He had a great season, but neither of those last two were hit.

Kaboly suggested some more attainable incentives for Heyward for the upcoming season. This seems fair, especially after the veteran was named an All-Pro in each of the last two seasons. He should just be getting a simple raise as he has outplayed his contract, but he is stuck in a bad deal that his agent probably hears about quite a bit. The fan base in Pittsburgh has been fed up with the drama surrounding Heyward's contract in recent years, but the reality is that he is a very good player. Pittsburgh's defense would be significantly less successful without him, and he is still one of the best at his position in the entirety of the NFL.

Heyward deserves whatever he wants from the organization within reason. Heyward's current deal doesn't even touch the top 10 when it comes to highest-paid defensive tackles in the NFL, which isn't right as he is widely known as a top five player at the position.

Steelers Get Off The Field Value From Cam Heyward

Heyward is a great player on the field, but he is also a resource for the Steelers in the locker room. He is the longest-tenured player on the roster, and his experience and leadership is extremely valuable. He is also a great mentor for a young defensive lineman like Derrick Harmon, and the organization will probably bring in a younger defensive lineman again during the 2026 NFL Draft. 

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