Gerry Dulac: Mike Tomlin expects Cam Heyward to play in Week 1 -- but contract issues linger

Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Sep 2, 2025

Published in Football

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PITTSBURGH — Mike Tomlin said he expects defensive end Cam Heyward to play when the Steelers open the regular season on Sunday, despite the four-time All-Pro’s dissatisfaction with his contract and self-imposed limited participation in training camp.

That, though, doesn’t mean the issue Heyward has with the organization about a new contract has been resolved. Nor has the team’s longest tenured player and team captain made any public comments about whether he intends to play against the New York Jets.

Heyward has not made himself available to speak to the media since he returned to practice on a very limited basis and appeared to end his “hold-in” after the team returned from Saint Vincent College.

He has let it be known that he wants the team to renegotiate a new deal, even though he has two years remaining on the three-year, $45 million contract he signed in August 2024. But the Steelers are not in the business of giving players a new contract until they have just one year remaining on their existing deal.

And that doesn’t appear as though that’s going to change anytime soon.

That’s where the battle lines are drawn. It remains to be seen which side, if either, will step across the line before the team opens the regular season Sunday at 1 p.m. ET in MetLife Stadium.

Or if Heyward, 36, is ready mentally and physically to play.

“I’m certainly expecting Cam to play,” Tomlin said during his weekly news conference on Tuesday. “My job is to get him in and out of Latrobe, and I’ve done my job. So there are no reservations about his participation or readiness. I’m sure he’s chomping at the bit.”

Heyward has threatened not to play until he gets a new contract — or some financial remuneration — from the team. Initially, that threat carried no weight during the summer because Tomlin never planned to play him anyway in the preseason because of Heyward’s age and value to the team.

But, with the regular season officially underway, how far will Heyward go with his threat? And what is his leverage to not play?

Tomlin does not seem concerned, at least, outwardly.

“He and I have been together a lot of years,” Tomlin said. “He’s logged a bunch of snaps. His runway required to take off is short.”

Tomlin compared it to the 2021 season, in which T.J. Watt was a training-camp hold-in waiting for a new contract to be offered. Despite missing the entire preseason, Watt opened the regular season in Buffalo in which he had two sacks, five quarterback hits, one tackle for loss and one forced fumble.

“You go through things with people and you learn what they can manage in terms of readiness,” Tomlin said. “My job is to be fair with everyone, not treat everyone the same, and that’s why the schedule of work is different for different people.”

Either way, it would be a disappointing start to a season in which the Steelers drafted two players — Derrick Harmon and Yahya Black — to bolster their defensive line. But Harmon, the team’s No. 1 pick, sustained a Grade 2 MCL sprain in the preseason and has already been ruled out against the Jets. He could miss one more game before he returns.

Heyward’s demands can be somewhat understood.

After being named first-team All-Pro for the fourth time — only Joe Greene (five) has been recognized more times among defensive linemen in team history — Heyward saw receiver DK Metcalf get the largest contract ever awarded by the team ($150 million) and Watt get a record deal in which $108 million was guaranteed.

As for any progress, Heyward said on his podcast Tuesday morning, “Nope. Nothing to talk about.”

The situation has created a polarizing situation for the league’s 2024 Walter Payton Man of the Year.

“I hope he does,” Watt said when asked if Heyward will play. “I hope the deal gets done.”

Special teams addition

The Steelers are planning to sign former Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers linebacker Jon Rhattigan (6-0, 236) to their practice squad.

Rhattigan, 26, an Army graduate, was an undrafted free agent who spent three seasons with the Seahawks, playing mostly on special teams. He signed with the Panthers last season.

His uncle, Brian, played at North Allegheny and Penn State.

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