At 36, Cam Heyward has heard all the whispers about Father Time catching up, but the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defensive tackle just shrugged them off.
When the NFL dropped stats showing his team ranking as the second-oldest in the league, Heyward’s response was pure veteran swagger.
Cam Heyward Brushes Aside Worries About Steelers Being 2nd-Oldest NFL Team
On Sunday, the NFL’s official Instagram account listed the league’s oldest teams by average age, with the Washington Commanders taking the top spot at 27 years, 247 days.
The Steelers came in second at 27 years, 4 days. Heyward’s reaction was about as blunt as it gets.
“So what,” Heyward wrote while reposting the slideshow on his Instagram story.
That attitude makes sense when you look at what the four-time first-team AP All-Pro is still doing on the field. After a solid two-sack performance against the Cleveland Browns in 2024-25, Heyward explained what keeps him motivated. He’s been on the back nine of his career for a while now, but the drive to make an impact in the Steel City hasn’t faded.
“I think, for me, there’s more to improve on, more to keep going after,” Heyward said. “There’s a hunger for me that I’m not satisfied with what I’ve done in the past, and I expect a lot more of myself.”
Teammate DeShon Elliott’s comment on the same day highlighted what kind of elder statesman Heyward has become in the locker room.
“Freaking Cam at 45 years old is out there getting two sacks (in) a game,” Elliott said. “That’s crazy.”
The fact that Mike Tomlin’s crew added 41-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers means Heyward isn’t even the oldest player on the roster. Rodgers is heading into his 21st NFL season, making him the true veteran leader of this aging group.
The roster is loaded with experienced players in their 30s. Cornerback Darius Slay, running back and kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson, and kicker Chris Boswell are all 34. Receiver Robert Woods and punter Cameron Johnston are 33.
In total, the Steelers roster 13 players in their 30s. That includes safety and special teams ace Miles Killebrew at 32. Guard Isaac Seumalo, defensive tackles Dean Lowry and Daniel Ekuale, and long snapper Christian Kuntz are all 31.
Outside linebacker T.J. Watt and cornerback Jalen Ramsey round out the group at 30.
Watt, who’s entering his ninth NFL season, is a four-time first-team AP All-Pro. He was in the mix for the AP Defensive Player of the Year award in 2024-25 and is now in a stalemate with Pittsburgh for a new deal.
Part of the holdup on that contract could possibly be his age, though the only sign of any decline in his play was him being held without a statistic in the team’s final two games in 2024-25, including a Wild Card loss to division rival Baltimore.
