Cam Heyward explained his side of the story as a contract dispute with the Steelers continues.
But, after talking to reports, the public sentiment didn’t improve, it actually got worse.
The All-Pro defensive lineman does deserve more money, but with his older age and the fact that he just signed a new deal last year, many fans are having issue with Heyward wanting to rework a deal.
Heyward said that he told the team he would be back for more money after he had an All-Pro year… which he went on to do.
“When I signed that, I told them, ‘when I have an All-Pro year, expect me to come back’ Heyward said. “I think everyone giggled a little bit, in my head I used it as motivation to go out there and prove it.”
Heyward will play for a total of $14.5 million this season and next after signing a contract extension last year. Coming off an All-Pro season and ranked as the best defensive lineman in the game by Pro Football Focus, Heyward said he’s the 22nd highest paid defensive tackle and 36th highest paid defensive lineman. The 36-year-old said he warned Steelers management this would happened after he signed the extension.
But, “No one held him at gunpoint to sign that deal,” said Andrew Fillipponi on Tuesday.
Donny Football, like a lot of others, says Heyward deserves the money, but it’s not the Steelers fault that that he and his agent made mistakes at the negotiating table last year.
Former sports agent Joel Corry points out on “X” that Heyward wants it both ways.
“If Heyward was so sure he would have an All-Pro 2024 season as a 35-year-old, he should have played out his contract instead of signing a 2-year extension in September 2024 that averages $1.9M per year less than his 2020 extension,” said Corry.
Some are saying after 14 years with the Steelers, Heyward has ruined all of the good will he build with his charity work and play on the field in just a few days with this contract dispute.
That’s hard to believe.
Years from now, this spat with the organization won’t be what people think of first when they think about Cam Heyward.