It's been a month since Cam Heyward made known his wish for the Steelers to restructure his existing contract extension, which wasn't yet old enough to puff out a single candle on the cake, and not a solitary thing's changed.
Except one, of course: Cam's practicing.
There he was out there again with his teammates Monday on the fields of the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, full participation, full contact, all that fun, all apparently aimed at being as prepared as possible for the 2025 season opener Sunday against the Jets in East Rutherford, N.J. And to boot, earlier in the day, he'd again been selected as defensive captain, by popular vote in the locker room.
At the same time, there's been nary a syllable from the big man, and there wasn't again Monday, about any of what's happening: Why'd he decide a week ago to resume practicing? What happened to the hold-in that wasn't, then was, and now isn't again? Has there been any sign of concession from the team? Any communication at all?
Biggest question, obviously: Will he suit up Sunday?
From his perspective, again, there's been nothing. So, as such, I'd have to assume status quo. Meaning that he'd follow through, without a new contract, and miss games, as he'd acknowledged Aug. 11 in Latrobe he might do when pressed upon that by our Chris Halicke.
This column was what I wrote from out there that day and, not that I matter, but I'm status quo, as well. I still think it's terribly conceived, whether by him or his representation or both. I still think it's terribly timed, given the start of the season at hand. And I still think, more than ever, truth be told, that it's just ... dumb.
Not that Cam's dumb. He's anything but.
But this decision ... yeah, without copying and pasting that same column, I'll just let it stand.
Albeit with one new variable: I didn't have any idea at the time how the Steelers themselves felt about this, and I sure do now. They don't like it. Not even a little. This extension was everything Cam had sought when he came to them a year ago. No complaints. No conditions.
I don't blame them at all. And take that from someone who'll side with the star player in almost every similar setting, just as I've done with Cam himself in the past, including that extension.
Not now.
He's a genuinely great player nearing the end of what should be a gold-jacket career. He should be pining for a Jerome Bettis-type finish, one that'd check off all the pre-Canton boxes anyone could bring up. Notably the Steelers' miserable run of playoff failure the past decade.
He's also a genuinely great person. No one reading this needs to hear that from me. He wasn't the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year because he went through the motions. He's everywhere in our community. He's invested. It comes from the heart.
Are a few million extra bucks, no matter how much principle might be behind that push, seriously a priority over a shot at the Super Bowl and the Hall of Fame?
Ask around, Cam. Not the agent. Just regular Pittsburghers.
THE ASYLUM
DK: Cam needs to play Sunday ... for himself, too
It's been a month since Cam Heyward made known his wish for the Steelers to restructure his existing contract extension, which wasn't yet old enough to puff out a single candle on the cake, and not a solitary thing's changed.
Except one, of course: Cam's practicing.
There he was out there again with his teammates Monday on the fields of the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, full participation, full contact, all that fun, all apparently aimed at being as prepared as possible for the 2025 season opener Sunday against the Jets in East Rutherford, N.J. And to boot, earlier in the day, he'd again been selected as defensive captain, by popular vote in the locker room.
At the same time, there's been nary a syllable from the big man, and there wasn't again Monday, about any of what's happening: Why'd he decide a week ago to resume practicing? What happened to the hold-in that wasn't, then was, and now isn't again? Has there been any sign of concession from the team? Any communication at all?
Biggest question, obviously: Will he suit up Sunday?
From his perspective, again, there's been nothing. So, as such, I'd have to assume status quo. Meaning that he'd follow through, without a new contract, and miss games, as he'd acknowledged Aug. 11 in Latrobe he might do when pressed upon that by our Chris Halicke.
This column was what I wrote from out there that day and, not that I matter, but I'm status quo, as well. I still think it's terribly conceived, whether by him or his representation or both. I still think it's terribly timed, given the start of the season at hand. And I still think, more than ever, truth be told, that it's just ... dumb.
Not that Cam's dumb. He's anything but.
But this decision ... yeah, without copying and pasting that same column, I'll just let it stand.
Albeit with one new variable: I didn't have any idea at the time how the Steelers themselves felt about this, and I sure do now. They don't like it. Not even a little. This extension was everything Cam had sought when he came to them a year ago. No complaints. No conditions.
I don't blame them at all. And take that from someone who'll side with the star player in almost every similar setting, just as I've done with Cam himself in the past, including that extension.
Not now.
He's a genuinely great player nearing the end of what should be a gold-jacket career. He should be pining for a Jerome Bettis-type finish, one that'd check off all the pre-Canton boxes anyone could bring up. Notably the Steelers' miserable run of playoff failure the past decade.
He's also a genuinely great person. No one reading this needs to hear that from me. He wasn't the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year because he went through the motions. He's everywhere in our community. He's invested. It comes from the heart.
Are a few million extra bucks, no matter how much principle might be behind that push, seriously a priority over a shot at the Super Bowl and the Hall of Fame?
Ask around, Cam. Not the agent. Just regular Pittsburghers.
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