Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin described Cameron Heyward as a fine wine who is getting better with age. The Steelers legend has been one of the top defenders in the league for the last decade and is fresh off a campaign in which he made both the Pro Bowl and first All-Pro teams.
Heyward started all 17 games for the Steelers last season and has shown no signs of slowing down. As a result, he was ranked the No. 2 NFL player going into the 2025 season.
How Do The Stats Support Cameron Heyward as The No. 1 NFL Defender in 2025?
Heyward was in his age-35 season last year and was still one of the best defensive tackles in the league. He led the NFL in defensive stops with 47 and was ranked No. 2 in PFSN’s list of the Top 100 Players in 2025, only behind Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.
“Among DTs, he ranked fifth in total pressures (56) and recorded 8.0 sacks,” PFSN’s Stats and Insights team wrote. “His 12% pressure rate ranked ninth, highlighting his efficiency and relentless motor on every down. Heyward’s impact extended beyond the stat sheet, anchoring a Steelers defense that relied on his veteran leadership and playmaking ability. He tallied 12 quarterback hits (ninth) and recorded 71 total tackles, including 35 solo stops.
“Heyward’s ability to generate pressure while maintaining gap discipline made him a cornerstone of Pittsburgh’s defensive front. He’s heading into Year 15, but his production and consistency have remained among the NFL’s elite.”
Watch Cam Heyward ( 97 )
Pure Dominance 🔥
pic.twitter.com/A7FK9aFyky— OgnBurgh (@scottiloss) November 14, 2024
While one can argue that players such as Myles Garrett, T.J. Watt, and Trey Hendrickson could have ranked higher than Heyward, the 36-year-old has been equally consistent as the other three, if not better. Here’s what the team wrote about why he deserved such a high ranking.
“While everyone talks about T.J. Watt on the Steelers’ defensive line, the praise should actually, rightfully, land in the middle…to Cam Heyward. A dominant big man who showed no signs of slowing down despite his age in 2024, he put together a career year in pressure rate while also affecting the opposing quarterback in a litany of other ways (like leading the league’s DTs in batted passes at the line of scrimmage).”
With 14 seasons under his belt, Heyward has become the heart and soul of the Steelers’ defense. Since joining in 2011, he’s amassed an impressive career, including seven Pro Bowl selections and four First-Team All-Pro honors, but a Super Bowl ring is missing from his resume.
The Steelers, however, have gone all-in this offseason, bringing in four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf, and Jalen Ramsey, among other players, to push for a Super Bowl run. Heyward is confident that the Steelers’ roster is capable of it, and will hope to cap off his Hall of Fame career with a ring.
