Steelers' Cameron Heyward beams with pride after winning NFL Man of the Year

It is possible — likely, even — that regardless of what team drafted Cameron Heyward that he would have embraced charitable efforts in improving that community.

But it also is quite fitting that Heyward has been able to deploy his energies to improving Pittsburgh.

“It’s my hometown and my birthplace,” Heyward said Friday, a day after receiving the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year recognizing community impact by an NFL player.

“The city of Pittsburgh is always near and dear to my heart.”

Heyward, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ veteran captain, at last achieved a longtime ambition in earning an award that the NFL refers to as its “most prestigious honor.” It’s named after Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton, a man Heyward’s father long admired.

A star running back at Pitt, Craig “Ironhead” Heyward — through his wife and Cameron’s mother, Charlotte — established roots in Western Pennsylvania.

“Doing the work (in Pittsburgh), it started for me because it is something my dad built before I was even born,” Heyward said from Las Vegas via conference call.

Cameron Heyward was presented with the Man of the Year Award during the league’s annual honors presentation Thursday night. It was the sixth time Heyward was the Steelers’ nominee.

After letdowns the previous five occasions, Heyward believed he would once again fall short. Not even the presences of Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, general manager Omar Khan and other team executives at the Resorts World Theatre tipped Heyward off that this year would be different.

“I was trying to temper expectations so I wouldn’t let people down,” Heyward said.

“I told my mom literally 45 minutes before, ‘Mom, you need to be prepared. We’re not going to win. I was not very optimistic. … And then I talked to ‘Coach T’ right before, and he (said), ‘I wouldn’t be coming if you weren’t winning this award.’ I thought he was just trying to instill some positive vibes.”

Turns out, Tomlin either had some inside information or was simply that confident in the lengthy community-service resume built by the longtime defensive lineman he has called “a blueprint for young players.”

The NFL describes the award as intended to honor a player who “excels on the field and demonstrates a passion for creating a lasting positive impact beyond the game.”

Heyward has done that in myriad ways, often through his foundation that is commonly referred to as The Heyward House and focuses on children/youth causes.

“Cam is a leader on the field and in the community,” Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank president and CEO Lisa Scales said in an email to TribLive. “He exemplifies Pittsburgh at its best — neighbors helping neighbors. As a community leader, Cam is a great role model for people of all ages.”

Heyward partnered with the Food Bank for a Thanksgiving food distribution. A month earlier, he took part in what has become an annual tradition: Cam’s Kindness Week, a stretch of days in which Heyward supports various organizations via monetary donations and in-person outreach.

Among this year’s highlights was a visit to Cafe Momentum Pittsburgh, a new restaurant and culinary training facility aiming to equip justice-involved youth with life skills, education and employment opportunities.

“They’re doing an amazing job giving kids an opportunity to not only learn how to run a restaurant, but how to cook, how to interact with people and how to be put into some tough situations,” said Heyward, whose $50,000 donation to Cafe Momentum was matched by the Steelers.

Among other initiatives Heyward has devoted time to:

• A $50,000 donation (also matched by the Steelers) to the Homewood Children’s Village, which strives to improve the lives of disadvantaged youth and their families

• A toy and coat drive for kids in foster care in conjunction with the Foster Love Project

• An initiative named after Heyward’s father called “Craig’s Closet” that provides free dress clothes for young men embarking on life. As part of the program, Heyward visited the Pittsburgh City League champion Westinghouse football team to present them with suits and ties

• Hosting of a Teachers’ Appreciation Dinner with an accompanying $100,000 donation to fund classroom projects

• Work with Reflections Of Grace, a foundation that provides support to children affected by brain cancer and their families

Heyward over the years was as open about coveting the Walter Payton NFL honor as he previously had been in yearning for All-Pro or Pro Bowl recognition.

Now that he has been nationally recognized for his off-field work, though, Heyward repeatedly emphasized the work is not finished.

“Mr. Payton, he handed that ball off,” he said. “I might not run as fast as him, but my goal is to hold onto it. And so the work continues, but we don’t shy away from it. We know there are a lot of people that need our help, and I want to be doing that. And if pressure (to have outreach endure) intensifies, I’ve got to grow from it.”