Steelers’ Cameron Heyward emotional about playing season without ‘brothers’ Stephon Tuitt, Tyson Alualu

Getting choked up and emotional Sunday night wasn’t only about the Pittsburgh Steelers’ season coming to an end for Cameron Heyward. It went beyond feelings associated with Ben Roethlisberger’s purported final game, too.

Speaking soon after the Steelers’ 42-21 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs in an AFC wild-card game, Heyward opened up about how he played almost the entire season without his two veteran running mates — and close friends — on the Steelers’ defensive line.

“I don’t know what the future holds for guys,” Heyward said, referring to Tyson Alualu and Stephon Tuitt, “but I am with those guys. I mean it. I love those guys. You will never hear me talk one bad word about those guys because I care about those guys too much.”

Alualu suffered a broken ankle on his fourth snap of the season’s second game and did not play again. Tuitt never played this season, spending it on injured reserve. The Steelers referenced a knee injury for Tuitt, who never participated in team drills during training camp.

Tuitt tragically lost his brother, Richard Bartlett III, in a hit-and-run accident in June. Tuitt was excused from the Steelers’ mandatory minicamp later that month, and aside from being spotted working out on his own during a handful of early-camp practices he never took part in any team drills all season.

“My brother has been hurting all year,” Heyward said, “and it breaks my heart that I didn’t get to be with him.”

Heyward, 32, and the 28-year-old Tuitt were bested only by Roethlisberger as the longest-tenured players on the Steelers’ roster this season. Alualu is in his fifth season with the Steelers. Only Roethlisberger, Heyward and Tuitt have been in Pittsburgh longer, and only Roethlisberger has been in the NFL since before when Alualu was drafted in 2012.

Alualu is in the middle of his third two-year contract with the Steelers after spending his first six seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars. This past March, it was announced he signed back with Jacksonville as a free agent — only to reverse his decision days later.

“Throughout the whole process, even before we agreed to terms, my teammates and coach Dunbar were calling and checking up on me, wanting me to stay,” #Steelers defensive lineman Tyson Alualu said. https://t.co/ZQ4sVEhKLs

— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) May 30, 2021

“Tyson has dedicated his life, (and) he came back here from Jacksonville,” Heyward said. “I was blowing him up (with phone calls) every single day telling him he made the wrong mistake — and he came back here.”

Heyward was named first-team All-Pro, but without their other two starters on the defensive line the Steelers’ run defense was the worst statistically in the NFL. Two of the top backups headed into the season — Isaiah Buggs and Carlos Davis — for variety of reasons didn’t contribute much (Buggs ultimately was released).

Heyward pointed out players such as Chris Wormley, Henry Mondeaux, rookie Isaiahh Loudermilk and in-season pick-up Montravius Adams tried to pick up the slack.

“(The absences of Alualu and Tuitt) did give a chance to guys like that to grow,” Heyward said.

But it’s clear Alualu and Tuitt were missed. And not just for their on-field contributions.

“My brother (Tuitt) has dealt with a lot this year, off the field, and I will never question (either of) them,” Heyward said. “Those dudes have paved the way for me.

“I will never do a ‘What if?’ ”

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