THE Pittsburgh Steelers are at risk of losing one of their top defensive stars.
Cameron Heyward is suggesting that he could hold out of the 2025 season for a new contract.
Cameron Heyward is considering holding out of the 2025 season for a better contract[/caption]
Heyward is 36 years old and entering his 15th NFL season[/caption]
The veteran Steelers defensive lineman has been holding in during training camp, but that could quickly turn into a holdout once the regular season begins.
“There are definitely options out there that could reflect that,” he said.
“My goal is to be out here, and I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’ve had to be honest with myself to be ready for every option.
“And has it gone the way I wanted to go? No. If it did, I would be out there playing and practicing, but I’d like to put this in the rearview mirror and worry about ball and worry about [the] New York Jets [in] Week 1.“
Heyward’s decision to renegotiate his contract dates back to the end of last season.
He said he decided to hold in after the negotiations didn’t go his way.
“Can’t say I’m not disappointed in where we’re at,” he said.
“I think it’s pretty simple with how it could be handled.
“There’s been reporting about how it could be done, but I just wish I could just be out there not having to worry about this.”
It is worth noting that Heyward signed a two-year contract extension just last season.
In September of 2024, he signed a $39 million contract with the Steelers which put him under contract through 2026 season.
The contract is worth $14.5 million annually, which is fairly significant for a 36-year-old defensive lineman.
Heyward has earned over $130 million in his 14-year NFL career.
“I’m looking to be valued,” he said.
“I know what I bring to this team and what I’m capable of on and off the field, so it’s hard for me, after the year I’ve had, to really justify playing at the number I’m playing at.
“I understand. I signed a contract last year, but to be completely honest with you, when I signed that, I told him when I have an All-Pro year expecting me to come back and you can look at the contract and see what it was.
NFL important dates 2025 season
March 12 – Free Agency begins
April 24-26 – NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin
September 4 – 2025 season opener (TBC vs Eagles)
November 27 – Thanksgiving Day triple header
January 4, 2026 – End of regular-season
February 8, 2026 – Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California
“But I think everybody kind of giggled a little bit, but in my head, I used it as motivation to go out there and prove it.”
Heyward was a Pro Bowler and first-team All-Pro last season, but didn’t have any clauses in his contract to increase his pay based on performance
He is now looking for financial incentives such as turning his future roster bonuses into guarantees.
“In my eyes when I look at it, they could have cut me last year,” he said.
“The way I was approached, I was asked to take a pay cut, and we ended up getting a deal done.
“But when I look at the market, and I look at what I’ve done, it’s hard to really wrap my head around playing at a number where I’m not even half of what the rest of the market is.”
