This is one of the busiest offseasons the Pittsburgh Steelers have had in recent memory. Bringing Aaron Rodgers, and many more, is a sign that they are going all in. They haven’t won an NFL ring for more than a decade. However, bringing all these new faces might be what costs the job of old faces that are not precisely prominent on the depth chart.
This is the case of tight end Connor Heyward. Heyward was a sixth-round pick in 2022. He is mainly listed as a tight end, but has also served as a fullback and a receiver at times. One name could be the one that replaces Heyward with all these roles and much more potential.
According to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor, Jonnu Smith is the reason why Connor Heyward could get cut. “I think [Smith] can do a little bit of everything; in some ways, do the things that we said that Connor Heyward could do in terms of being a fullback, maybe being a receiver, being an undersized tight end,” Pryor said to 93.7 The Fan. “That is Jonnu Smith times 1,000. I think that he has a much much higher ceiling than Connor Heyward, there’s only so many roster spots.”
Connor Heyward has not been stellar, but not bad
Heyward has been on the team for three years. Most of his snaps have been on special teams, though. The Steelers hoped Heyward was a bit of a unicorn. However, he has 385 scrimmage yards and two total touchdowns in his career.
Connor Heyward #83 of the Pittsburgh Steelers in action during Minicamp at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on June 12, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
With Jonnu Smith coming off a career-year, he will get all the snaps. Heyward’s spot on the roster is in real danger now. While he is a good player, the potential is not what the team has hoped. It’s also no coincidence that they brought a player who is covering exactly all the areas they wanted Heyward to cover.
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Nepotism is not a part of the Steelers depth chart no more
Nepotism is defined by Oxford as “the practice among those with power or influence of favoring relatives, friends, or associates, especially by giving them jobs.“ The Steelers might’ve had some of that on their roster. They used to have T.J. Watt‘s brother, Derek, on their roster. Connor Heyward is the younger brother of star defensive tackle Cameron Heyward.
Derek Watt retired last December. Now, Heyward might be out of the team. The waves have been changing in Pittsburgh. The team might be desperate about their lack of NFL success in the last few years, and change is coming.
