Cameron Heyward spent his formative years in the NFL learning the ropes from Troy Polamalu, an all-time great defender who in retirement has been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as well as the Steelers Hall of Honor. Polamalu also retired as a "career Steeler," a distinction that Heyward is set to follow after he and the Steelers came to terms on a three-year contract extension.
The deal runs through the 2026 season, and it's safe to assume that the deal represents the duration of Heyward's decorated career that includes six Pro Bowls, three All-Pros and a Walter Payton Man of the Year award. A shoo-in for future induction into the Steelers Hall of Honor, Heyward can strengthen his case as a future Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee during his final seasons in Pittsburgh.
Heyward is surely hoping to check three things off his list: returning to his Pro Bowl form following last year's injury-marred season, winning that elusive Super Bowl ring and retiring as a career Steeler.
The 2011 first-round pick is set to join a pretty notable list of players who played their entire careers in Pittsburgh, a list that includes Hall of Fame defensive tackle Ernie Stautner (the team's best pre-dynasty player), eight of the team's 10 Hall of Famers from the 1970s dynasty (including Joe Greene, who played Heyward's position and is considered the greatest player in franchise history), Hall of Fame center Dermontti Dawson (who played from 1988-00) and Polamalu (2003-14).
Along with joining those Hall of Famers, Heyward is also set to join several of his former teammates as career Steelers. Two of Heyward's defensive teammates from his early years -- Casey Hampton and Aaron Smith -- played their entire careers in Pittsburgh. Smith was inducted into the team's Hall of Honor during the 2023 season, and Hampton will receive that honor this season.
Standout offensive players from Heyward's years in Pittsburgh who also retired as career Steelers are receiver Hines Ward, eight-time Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Heyward was a rookie during the final year of Ward's glittering career that included two Super Bowl wins, a Super Bowl MVP and being only one of nine players in NFL history with 1,000 career receptions and 85 career touchdown receptions.
Ward, despite a Hall of Fame-worthy career, is still waiting for his Hall of Fame jacket. Roethlisberger, though, will likely be fitted for his jacket in 2027, the first year that he is eligible for enshrinement. While he was never an All-Pro, Roethlisberger accomplished just about everything else during his 18-year career. He is top-10 all time in career passing yards, touchdown passes, wins for a starting quarterback and is one of 13 starting quarterbacks to win multiple Super Bowls. Roethlisberger also owns a slew of franchise records that include the most games played for Pittsburgh (272, including the postseason).
It appears that Heyward will join this esteemed list of players and will avoid an equally impressive list of notable Steelers players who didn't finish their careers in Pittsburgh. That list includes Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris (whose number 32 was retired by the team in December 2022, joining Stautner's No. 70 and Greene's No. 75), Hall of Fame center Mike Webster, Hall of Fame defensive back Rod Woodson, outside linebacker (and former Heyward teammate) James Harrison and former All-Pro receiver Antonio Brown, another former teammate of Heyward.
"There are certain guys who are one-helmet guys," Heyward said recently. "I want to be one of those one-helmet guys."
Heyward is on his way toward getting his wish while solidifying his legacy as one of the franchise's all-time great players.
