Cam Heyward contract drama, explained: Latest update on Steelers star's hold-in

The Pittsburgh Steelers are set to open the preseason on the road versus the Jacksonville Jaguars, and though the team is focused on preparing for the 2025 campaign, one of their star players is unhappy with his contract situation.

Cameron Heyward has been one of the best defensive tackles in football since entering the league in 2011. The former first-round pick has tallied seven Pro Bowl selections and multiple All-Pro nods through 14 years.

The 36-year-old is coming off another fantastic campaign in 2024, where he tallied eight sacks and earned first-team All-Pro honors. As a result, Heyward believes he deserves a raise in his contract, which has caused some drama in training camp.

Latest update on Cam Heyward's hold-in

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Thursday that Heyward is seeking more money from the Steelers due to a reset in the defensive tackle market. The veteran defensive lineman is scheduled to make $14.75 million in 2025 and has already taken home $13.45 million of that figure in a roster bonus in March.

Schefter also added that Heyward has yet to practice in training camp, and likely won't until Pittsburgh pays him his raise.

"With little fanfare, Steelers four-time All-Pro defensive tackle Cameron Heyward hasn’t fully participated in practice yet this summer as he awaits a restructured contract that has not gotten done, per sources," Schefter said on X.

There is still some time for Pittsburgh to figure out a reworked deal for Heyward, who signed a multi-year extension with the Steelers last offseason. However, Schefter says that there hasn't been much progress on a deal for the superstar defensive tackle.

"Heyward and the Steelers have addressed this privately, but have not made any progress on any reworked deal, per sources," Schefter said.

With Heyward being the longest-tenured player on the team and still playing at a high level, it's hard to imagine a scenario where Pittsburgh doesn't eventually give him a little bit more money so he can finally step on the practice field. 

This contract drama between Heyward and the Steelers came out of nowhere, and we'll see when the franchise decides to address it.

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