NFL News: Mike Tomlin’s brief message casts doubt on Cam Heyward’s contract situation with Steelers

Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan seemed to have finalized their plan for the Steelers with one of the most active offseasons in the team’s recent history. The head coach and general manager spared no effort to bring in names like Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf, Jalen Ramsey, Jonnu Smith, and Darius Slay.

Additionally, in what seemed to be the biggest story of the summer, the front office finally gave T.J. Watt a three-year, $123 million extension, effectively ending any potential controversy heading into the regular season opener against the Jets.

However, during training camp, Cam Heyward decided to spark a fire the Pittsburgh Steelers hadn’t anticipated. Seeing how the market was moving for defensive linemen, the veteran demanded more money, even though he had just signed a new contract in 2024.

What did Cameron Heyward say about Aaron Rodgers?

The surprising part of the situation is that just a few months ago, Cam Heyward was the locker room leader who questioned Aaron Rodgers for taking so long to sign with the team.

The defensive tackle delivered a line that immediately went viral on social media. “Either you want to be a Pittsburgh Steeler or you don’t. It’s that simple. That’s the pitch. If you want me to recruit, that’s the recruiting pitch. Pittsburgh Steelers. If you want to be part of it, so be it. If you don’t, no skin off my back.”

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How much does Cameron Heyward make for the Steelers?

Cam Heyward is set to make $14 million with the Steelers for the 2025 season. However, after seeing how the team opened the wallet to pay names like T.J. Watt and DK Metcalf, he doesn’t want to be left behind.

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NFL News: Mike Tomlin issues a very strong warning to Aaron Rodgers’ Steelers after preseason loss against Buccaneers

Heyward publicly stated that he feels undervalued compared to other players at his position and hasn’t ruled out the possibility of sitting out regular-season games. However, the good news for Pittsburgh is that he returned to participate in individual and team periods during recent practices.

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Despite that, Mike Tomlin doesn’t seem too pleased with the controversy, and this was his brief response when a reporter asked if Cam doing team periods means anything has changed with his contract situation. “You’d have to ask him.”