Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman, Cam Heyward has continuously been disrespected by lists and rankings this off-season. The Steelers superstar and team leader is just tired of it, plain and simple.
Steelers defensive tackle, Cam Heyward (#97) celebrates with head coach, Mike Tomlin, after their 39-38 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, December 10, 2017, at Heinz Field. | Christopher Horner / Tribune-Review
He's let people know time and time again, no disrespect to Los Angeles Rams' DL Aaron Donald, but he's the best in the world at his position.
“I think he’s 1a and I think I’m 1a,” Heyward stated on the inaugural episode of his Not Just Football podcast. “For me, personally, I think I’m at the top of my game and I’m a complete player. And that’s not a slight at everybody else, but when I step on that field, I feel like I’m the top guy at my position. Aaron Donald is a great player and he is a heck of a player, but it’s what you want, it’s pick your poison. I’ve said that to multiple people this off-season and that’s how I feel.”
PITTSBURGH, PA - NOVEMBER 10: Cameron Heyward #97 of the Pittsburgh Steelers embraces Aaron Donald #99 of the Los Angeles Rams after the Steelers' 17-12 win over the Rams at Heinz Field on November 10, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
While appearing on the I Am Athlete Tonight podcast on Friday night, Heyward reiterated this point once more when the topic of his EA Sports' Madden 23 rating came up and he let everyone know he's keeping receipts. He wasn't necessarily angry at his rating, but he was disgruntled that Donald was rated ahead of him by 6 points. Heyward received a 93 overall in this year's iteration of the game, while Donald was a member of the elite "99 Club" once again.
"We've come a long way, because they've been disrespecting me a very long time," Heyward said on the podcast. "I had people reaching out and saying 'Congrats' and all that, and I was like 'Yeah, we've come a long way, but the job's not done.' They still need to be held accountable, because the number's not right.""I see the rankings, I see the Madden ratings and stuff, and people say it shouldn't bother you," Heyward stated before going into more detail. "I'm a competitor and every little thing that goes on where I'm not ranked number one, I look at it as fuel. I screenshot most of it and I keep it on my phone so I can look back at it and remember that these people chose somebody else besides me. I work my tail off to be number one, not number two."
The Steelers players' have a long history of getting disrespected by the video game series and he's not the only defensive star that dons the black and gold to get disrespected in this year's launch ratings.
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle, Cam Heyward, left (#97), and edge rusher, TJ Watt, right (#90) celebrate during pregame warmups at Heinz Field in 2021. | Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO
Don't worry, GMFB, we're all confused to see the reigning Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) TJ Watt rated below Cleveland Browns' edge rusher Myles Garrett. There's no way that should ever happen. Watt is better than Garrett in every major defensive statistical category! Heyward is right, whoever is responsible for these ratings need to be held accountable. The disrespect has gone on too long!
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