Heyward Weighs Risks and Rewards in New Deal as He Pursues Steelers Legacy
Four-time first-team All-Pro defensive lineman Cameron Heyward declined to discuss his new contract incentives after the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the New York Jets. Heyward then didn’t address the topic on the September 10 episode of his podcast, “Not Just Football.”
But Heyward wasn’t going to be able to publicly avoid his reworked contract the entire season. The defensive lineman addressed the incentives added to his new deal in front of reporters Thursday.
“I’m only realizing how more I’m relieved because I’m sleeping a lot better; I’m glad to put that behind us,” Heyward said, via DK Pittsburgh Sports. “I’m glad I can just focus on football and go out there and earn it.”
The Steelers agreed to add $3.2 million in incentives to Heyward’s 2025 contract. TribLive.com’s Joe Rutter reported Thursday that Heyward will earn half of his incentives if he posts eight sacks, and the Steelers make the postseason.
Heyward will get the other half of his incentive should he register 11.5 sacks, and the Steelers win a playoff game.
If Heyward and the Steelers achieve both, he will make a little under $18 million for 2025. According to Spotrac, the defensive lineman will receive $14.75 million in cash for this season.
Steelers & Cameron Heyward Reached Contract Compromise
The defensive lineman received the opportunity for additional pay in 2025. He will get the chance to make more money despite the Steelers usual team policy of not addressing contracts that have more than two years remaining.
But while those were wins for Heyward, he will potentially give up something too.
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported if Heyward doesn’t play more than 30 percent of Pittsburgh’s defensive snaps in 2025, his roster bonus will drop to $875,000.
That’s a big risk for Heyward. His 2026 roster bonus before the restructured deal was set to be $12.95 million. But the new term will protect the Steelers if the 36-year-old suffers a serious injury.
While a great risk, Heyward appears to see it as part of NFL negotiations.
“It has to be a compromise on both sides,” Heyward told reporters. “I understand they don’t normally do it (new deals with two years left). All I’m asking is for an opportunity to go out and earn it.”
Heyward Motivated to Win Super Bowl, Not to Reach Incentives
NFL teams often include incentives in contracts to provide players extra motivation. But Heyward portrayed the notion that his drive to play well and win couldn’t be any higher.
“It doesn’t motivate me any more (than before),” Heyward added. “The goal is not to just win a playoff game, it’s to win a Super Bowl. This is more icing on the cake.”
Heyward and his family will undoubtably enjoy the extra $3.2 million if the defensive lineman earns it. But as the saying goes, money comes and goes.
With five All-Pro nominations and seven Pro Bowls, Heyward has cemented himself as one of the best defensive linemen in team history. But he’s missing playoff success on his resume.
A Super Bowl is the last accomplishment Heyward has left to achieve to truly cement his Steelers legacy.
Lightning prospects give back on 9/11 Day by packing meals at Yuengling Center
With the Bolts hosting this week’s prospect tournament in Wesley Chapel, the organization was quick to include its youngest players in giving back
One thousand people took to the Yuengling Center on the University of South Florida campus on Thursday for 9/11 Day, packing meals for those in the Tampa Bay area.
Among them included dozens of employees from Vinik Sports Group, members of the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey development staff and even players participating for the Lightning in this weekend’s 2025 Prospect Tournament.
With the Lightning hosting this week’s prospect tournament in Wesley Chapel, the organization was quick to include its youngest players in a drive to help others. Players were among those who packed nearly 411,000 meals which will be delivered to those facing food insecurity in the Tampa Bay area.
Syracuse Crunch General Manager and Head Coach Joel Bouchard, who is leading the Lightning prospects at this week’s tournament, said on Thursday that the volunteering was a combination of teambuilding and a way to give back.
"With my years with Hockey Canada, we used to do a lot of fundraising and a lot of experience to help others, and I always wanted to be part of it, and I always wanted them to be together because it's a chance for us to to have contact with them,” he said. "And every time we can spend with players is a way for us to get to know them and to see them interact with each other. And I think today's is a day that everybody remembers, so it's going to be great to go together and do this event.”
This marked the third year of the event at the Yuengling Center, which is part of a nationwide initiative in which more than 30,000 volunteers in 21 cities across America come together to pack 8.6 million meals for those facing food insecurity on the anniversary of 9/11.
Lightning prospects were split between tables and shared tasks that varied between scooping food into containers, sealing bags, weighing food or counting and closing boxes filled with meals.
Defenseman Roman Schmidt was a third-round pick by the Lightning at the 2021 NHL Draft and has been to multiple Lightning prospect camps. Thursday marked his first experience with such a volunteer opportunity at a prospect camp, and the defenseman who spent last season with the Syracuse Crunch said he was grateful for the opportunity.
Schmidt said his table moved “pretty fast”, adding there were no slow packers among his teammates. The two tables filled with prospects had a friendly race going on Thursday.
“We haven’t done anything like this, so it’s nice to give back and feel good, and it’s fun doing it with the boys,” Schmidt said.
Goalie Harrison Meneghin said his table also had their own packaging system figured out after a few test runs, and he thinks giving back is important as a hockey player.
“I think it’s special to help out the community wherever you can. Our community supports us, and especially the prospects too, by showing up to our development camp games or showing up for our rookie tournament games,” Meneghin said. “So, anything we can do to give back is special, and it was nice because we had a lot of fun and there was a lot of friendly competition. It was definitely a blast.”
With the team preparing for its first game of the prospect tournament, set for Friday at 5 p.m. at AdventHealth Center Ice in Wesley Chapel, Thursday was one more chance to come together as a group.
Whether that means giving back to the community off the ice or by winning games when the puck drops this weekend, the young Bolts are happy to do it.
“I think it's nice to see the group kind of get a little closer. All of us come from different areas of the world or different leagues, so it’s nice to kind of get to know everybody and kind of see what different hockey experiences everyone has shared,” Meneghin said. “It’s been nice, and we're getting really close. So, I think everyone's ready to just play as a team and just see what success we can bring upon ourselves.”
