Steelers players voted defensive end Cam Heyward as a captain this week, but not everyone has such a high opinion of the 14-year veteran.
Heyward was unable to convince the Steelers to give him a contract extension this offseason and an injury-riddled 2023 season has led to a lot of doubt about his ability to remain a top player at this point in his career. Heyward’s goal for the coming season is to make those critics eat crow by showing that he’s still capable of producing at a high level.
“I’ve had to eat [criticism] and absorb it,” Heyward said, via Will Graves of the Associated Press. “Everybody’s entitled to their opinion, but I want to make their opinion wrong, and I think I just look forward to playing good football.”
Heyward isn’t the only prominent Steeler trying to reclaim past glory. Quarterback Russell Wilson’s career has taken a nosedive since he left Seattle for Denver in 2022 and this might be his last chance to show he’s still able to lead a winning team. That makes redemption the goal on both sides of the ball in Pittsburgh.
