Pittsburgh Steelers star defensive lineman Cameron Heyward remains non-committal about playing in Week 1 against the New York Jets.
Heyward is looking for a new contract from the Steelers, but it doesn’t look like he’s going to get it. As a result, there remains a possibility that Heyward won’t suit up in Week 1, something he has hinted is possible.
When asked about his status on Friday, Heyward once again wouldn’t confirm that he’s definitely going to play on Sunday against the Jets.
“I’m preparing, still got some time, but we’ll see,” Heyward said of playing in Week 1, according to Chris Adamski of TribLive.com.
“I wish I had a straight answer for you right now. All I can tell you is I’ve had to have a lot of tough conversations with my family. There’s a place for everything,” Heyward added, per The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo.
When it comes to his contract situation, Heyward wasn’t optimistic about getting something done with Pittsburgh.
“I wish I could be more optimistic. Just trying to stay in the moment. I don’t have all the answers. It’s more of me just waiting and see what could happen,” he said, per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor.
While Heyward did get an extension in 2024, he’s still underpaid based on what he did last season, when he had a bounce-back campaign and proved he’s still one of the very best defensive linemen in the NFL.
According to Over The Cap, Heyward’s $14.5 million annual average ranks 23rd among interior defensive linemen. There is no question Heyward should be ranked higher than that.
That said, if the Steelers were keen on giving Heyward a new deal, it likely would’ve happened already.
While his absence would be terrible for the Steelers, Heyward’s best bet to grab some leverage and force the Steelers’ hand is to sit out on Sunday. We don’t see that happening, but clearly it remains a possibility.
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