Cam Heyward is heading into his 16th NFL season, and the Steelers still have one of the league’s most dependable interior defenders. Yet ESPN’s recent defensive tackle rankings left him out entirely, a snub that stands out even more when you look at what he’s done year after year.
Pittsburgh’s affection for Heyward is obvious, but it isn’t just hometown loyalty talking. Since the Steelers took him in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft, he has been a steady force on the field and a leader in the locker room. That kind of production and staying power is rare, especially at a position where wear and tear usually catches up fast.
The numbers from last season tell the story again. Heyward finished with 78 total tackles, including 38 solo stops and 40 assisted tackles. He also logged 12 quarterback pressures, nine tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.
His impact went well beyond the basic stat line. Heyward piled up 53 pressures, which ranked 10th among NFL defensive tackles. Pro Football Focus credited him with winning 16% of his pass-rush attempts, good for fifth at his position.
And even when he doesn’t get all the way through the line, he still changes the play. Heyward knocked down six passes last season, part of a two-year total of 17 batted balls.
That’s what makes the omission so hard to square, especially since the rankings were put together in part by NFL executives, coaches and scouts. Those are the people who see him up close and know how difficult it is to keep producing at this level for this long.
Heyward was named a 2nd Team All-Pro last season, another clear sign that his game is still very much in top form. For a player entering Year 16 and still performing like a star in his prime, being left off the list altogether feels like a flat-out miss.
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