PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Connor Heyward had been impatiently waiting, thinking he would go in the fourth or fifth round at least. It was now the sixth round of the NFL Draft and Connor went into his mom’s bedroom in Atlanta to answer a call.
As Cam Heyward tells it, he asked Connor who was on the phone and Connor walked away from his big brother signaling him to wait. Cam said he looked up at the TV and is was showing that the Bears pick was in, they drafted right before the Steelers. He thought his brother was drafted by Chicago.
About 30 seconds later Cam Heyward gets a call from Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin.
“I was like, ‘oh snap’ this fool just walked away and he didn’t even tell me it was the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Cam Heyward said. “It was pretty priceless. My brother thought it would be fun to have a prank. There will be plenty of time to get some hazing back.”
“It was none of Cam’s business,” Tomlin said. “Cam just happens to be big brother. I say that and I mean it.”
“Connor’s resume speaks for itself. He’s a Swiss-Army knife. He’s very talented. He has a nice skill set. He’s a capable runner, blitz pick-up guy. He’s very good in terms of the screen game with timing and feel. He’s a physical guy. We imagine he could be an offensive contributor in special teams. He was very worthy of that consideration and I didn’t want to water that down in any way.”
“I saw him make plays down the field as a tight end, catching the ball and running after the catch, I saw him catch screens, and he showed value as a runner,” said Steelers TE Coach Alfredo Roberts. “He showed value as a ball-catcher. He checked the ball really well. People talk about his limited playing in line. He has that want to and the savviness to do some other things that are really attractive and getting him on our football team and the things that we're trying to do with moving, he gives you that added dimension.”
Heyward has position flexibility for Tomlin, having played tailback, fullback and last year as a tight end/H-back. Heyward has 825 career rushing yards at Michigan State and 96 receptions for 711 yards and six touchdowns, one against Pitt in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl. A lot of his early time is expected to be on special teams.
“100%,” Connor Heyward said. “I know my position. Tight end and fullback, and special teams is an important thing.
At Michigan State, I played special teams, around three or four special team units a year. So, I know what it takes to be successful on special teams, and special teams can keep you in the NFL longer. You can’t shy away from that.
That’s something you just want to do.”
The Heyward’s have never played on a team together, they are the fourth brother combination on the team (Watt’s, Edmunds’ Davis’). Cam said if his brother gets frisky at camp he will knock him on his butt.
Cam said his brother is as competitive as he is and he looks forward to having him as a teammate. Connor though, doesn’t want to be a roommate.
“l’ll live with my grandma before I live with Cam,” Connor Heyward said, joking a bit. “Or I’ll just get my own place, more than likely I’ll get my own place.”
The two are separated by 10 years, Connor said Cam is more of a father-figure to him than a brother. Now the two get to play for the Steelers in a city their late father starred.
“I didn’t want to get my expectations too high,” Connor Heyward said. “My brother was just as surprised as I was. We are both just extremely happy. I’m not born in Pittsburgh, but Pittsburgh means a lot. My family is involved in Pittsburgh a lot, so this means that much more to me.”