Cam Heyward is the 22nd highest-paid defensive tackle in the NFL, and he’s not happy about it. He hasn’t been conducting a hold-in, but he hasn’t been a full participant in the Pittsburgh Steelers training camp. If this sounds familiar, it’s because Heyward went through a similar situation last season when he “held in” before signing a two-year, $29 million extension with the Steelers in 2024.
However, the market for defensive linemen has dramatically changed over the last year, and Heyward feels underpaid and underappreciated. This does not sit well with some Pittsburghers.
Cam Heyward Goes From “Man of the Year” to “Selfish Jerk” Overnight
Triblive columnist Mark Madden thinks Heyward’s contract dispute has devalued his reputation and ruined his image as a team leader.
“Has anyone ever so quickly devalued his reputation with Steeler Nation like Cam Heyward?” writes Madden. “Heyward went from Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year to a selfish jerk, and it happened overnight.”
The seven-time Pro Bowler and four-time first-team All-Pro has already received his $13.45 million roster bonus for 2025, and the Steelers have shelled out $146.3 million over the 14-plus years he’s been with the team.
However, Heyward’s current contract costs him about half the price of other premium players. Madden neither sympathizes nor empathizes with Heyward’s plight, writing, “Heyward’s problems are strictly first-world. Heyward’s ego is bruised, not his wallet.”
Heyward has been threatening to miss the Steelers’ season-opener against the New York Jets if he does not sign a new deal. When asked on the “Not Just Football” podcast whether he would play this Sunday, Heyward said, “We’ll see.”
After seeing this, Madden writes, “He thinks a cliffhanger on his podcast trumps serving as Steelers captain. Heyward seems to have changed since joining the media’s periphery,” suggesting that Heyward is more interested in getting clicks and eyeballs than leading the Steelers’ defense.
Cam Heyward continues to practice through his contract dispute pic.twitter.com/bH5L5vrXeS
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) September 3, 2025
Heyward spent six seasons with Pittsburgh before blossoming into the dominant defensive tackle he is now. He made his first Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams in 2017. He’s made seven Pro Bowls and been named first-team All-Pro four times and second-team All-Pro once.
At age 36, he’s still playing at an elite level, which is almost unthinkable for an NFL player. Yet, here he is, both considered one of the best defensive linemen in football and, depending on one’s point of view, one who is either egregiously underpaid or should have signed a better deal in 2024.
