Cam Heyward on contract talks with Steelers: Takes 'two to tango'

With the NFL season set to open in four weeks, Cameron Heyward awaits a contract extension he once thought might have been finalized with the Pittsburgh Steelers months ago.

Heyward said Monday “nothing of substance” has taken place regarding extending a contract that expires in March.

Heyward is entering the final year of a six-year deal. He will make $9.5 million in base salary, and his contract will count $13.25 million against the salary cap. Given that Heyward, 31, has emerged as one of the NFL’s top defensive linemen since he signed his previous deal, he stands to get a significant raise in salary.

“You’ve got to take two to tango,” Heyward said. “I want to be here. We’ll have to see what happens. We have a couple more weeks before the season. All I can focus on is what I can control, and we’ll leave it at that.”

The regular season opens Sept. 14 at the New York Giants. Per organizational policy, the Steelers cease contract negations once the season begins. In recent years, they have signed cornerback Joe Haden and defensive end Stephon Tuitt to extensions in September.

The Steelers expressed interest in tacking more years onto Heyward’s contract once the offseason began, but the coronavirus pandemic halted most contractual business around the NFL for a few months. Teams, though, have begun signing players to extensions in recent weeks.

Heyward, though, said he has little news to report on his front.

“It’s pretty uncertain right now,” he said. “I don’t know what to think. At the same time, I see teammates in the past have done it, but NFL business is moving forward. I see guys getting their contracts resolved. I want to have faith. I’m going to be ready to play either way.”

Complicating matters for the Steelers is the $198 million salary cap is expended to go down in 2021 because of the lack of revenues caused by the pandemic, and they might not be able to fit Heyward into their financial plans. If the salary cap drops to $175 million, the Steelers already are $15 million above that figure, according to salary-cap tracking website spotrac.com.

“We set dates to talk,” Heyward said. “We went past those dates, and nothing really got resolved or ramped up.”

A three-time Pro Bowl pick and two-time first-team All-Pro selection, Heyward has known no other organization since the Steelers drafted him in the first round in 2011.

“You all know where I stand,” Heyward said. “I want to be a Pittsburgh Steeler. I want to lead this team to a Super Bowl. We’ll see where we are. I love my team, love my teammates, love this city, the coaches, I love being a Pittsburgh Steeler.”

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