The Steelers’ latest extension efforts with Cameron Heyward have produced a deal. The All-Pro defensive lineman has an agreement in place on a another lucrative extension, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. The move is now official, per an announcement from his agency. 
Heyward is now attached to a three-year, $45MM deal, Fowler adds. The pact includes $29MM in new money along with $16MM in guarantees (nearly $15MM of which is comprised of a signing bonus). These terms will allow Heyward to reach his stated goal of finishing his career as a Steeler.
One year remained on the 35-year-old’s pact, but he made it clear this offseason he was seeking a two-year extension. Today’s news means he will be in place through 2026 as he intended and put to rest the possibility of a free agent departure next spring. Heyward has spent his entire 13 years in the NFL with Pittsburgh, and his decorated tenure will all-but certainly conclude in the city.
Arriving with the Steelers as a first-round pick in 2011, Heyward did not see any starts during his first two seasons with the team. Since then, he has been a stalwart along the defensive line, regularly providing a high-end pass rush presence in the interior. He earned a Pro Bowl nod every year from 2017 to ’22, posting double-digit sacks three times during that span.
Heyward landed a five-year extension in 2015, and a four-year re-up in 2020. He has proven to be a sound investment both times from the Steelers’ perspective, but last year saw him miss time due to a groin injury. Heyward was limited to just two sacks in 2023, and while he is now healthy questions were raised in the offseason about his long-term outlook. As Fowler notes, this is believed to be the largest commitment ever made to a defender at age 35 or older. Suffice it to say, the Steelers are banking on Heyward regaining his previous form.
With four All-Pro nods on his resume (three first-team, one second-team), the Ohio State alum could remain a key member of Pittsburgh’s highly-compensated defense if he manages to put together a healthy campaign. He was due $16MM in 2024 under the terms of his old deal, one which will be replaced by this new accord. Heyward’s scheduled cap hit of $22.41MM will be lowered by this agreement Specifically, his 2024 salary has been converted into a signing bonus; that will save the Steelers over $9MM in cap space (h/t Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette).
It was learned earlier this week that Heyward – who floated the idea of joining a new team in free agency without a deal in place – had recently re-engaged with the Steelers on contract talks. Pittsburgh has a strict policy against negotiating in-season, creating Week 1 as a deadline for both parties to hammer out an agreement. That has now proven to be the case, and general manager Omar Khan has one less piece of business to attend to over the coming days.
Pittsburgh is also eyeing a deal with tight end Pat Freiermuth. 2024 marks the final year of his rookie contract, so getting an extension worked out on that front would prevent the potential of a March 2025 departure on the open market. Regardless of how that process plays out, Heyward will remain in the fold for the foreseeable future.
Hope he at least stays healthy
What an over pay.
As a fan of this franchise, I hate this franchise.
Nothing like a new contract after a bad, injury plagued season. Good agent.
Why???? 3 years for a once great player in decline…money could of been spent elsewhere
They can back out at no penalty after this year, which he was getting paid regardless. It’s only a win for the Steelers
Hope y’all are ready to eat crow if he has double digit sacks come January.
I would have bet against the Steelers giving a 35 yr old that kind of extension. To me it signals that the organization doesn’t have much confidence at all in their offense. They are basically conceding that the team will only go so far as the defense can take them this season.
I get what you’re saying but only 16 million is guaranteed.
The Steelers really aren’t adding much new guaranteed money to this deal at all, just moving a lot of it to this season. And I think that most Steeler fans would agree that Heyward still plays at a high level and has earned it. The middle of the defense was horrid when he’s been out over the last couple of years.
I’ve heard by sources that the Steelers will save 9 million this year in cap space. In reality it was a structured agreement