Cam Heyward is well aware of the Steelers’ business principles. He openly acknowledged a couple of them Friday after practice.

No. 1, no contract negotiations or alterations once the regular season begins.

No. 2, incentive-laden deals are few and far between.

But at the same time, the longest-tenured Steeler and an 11-time captain wants them to bend on another philosophy of the organization. While starting quarterbacks have long been an exception, Heyward wants them to sweeten his contract with two years remaining, which is something they haven’t done since advancing money to Antonio Brown in a 2016 contract restructure.

“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t (frustrating),” Heyward said in his first media interview since Aug. 11. “I thought this could be a lot easier, but it’s gotten dragged on.”

Heyward admitted he can’t do much but wait, though we’re now less than two days from the season opener Sunday at the Jets. He did note there has continued to be communication between his side and the Steelers’ side, though.

After a rest day Thursday, Heyward was back in full pads to finish the week of preparation. At this point, if he doesn’t play, it’ll amount to an 11th-hour decision to simply hold himself out as a matter of his own principle.

“I’m definitely out of my comfort zone,” Heyward said. “I’d rather not be talking about this, focusing on the Jets, and not having a million things running through my head. But heavy is the head that wears the crown. It’s not me being boastful, but if I'm willing to talk about it, I have to be willing to deal with that, and I’m not running away from it.”

In other words, if he’s going to put it out there that he could skip games to make his point, it can’t just be a bald-faced bluff. But Heyward’s beef seems to be teetering on the line of becoming personal.

Much like last month, when he referred back to a conversation last offseason in which he was met with giggles after declaring he’d have an All-Pro 2024 campaign and be back at the bargaining table, Heyward brought up the term “damaged goods” being lobbed at him following his injury-plagued 2023. When asked if this dispute has impacted his relationship with team president Art Rooney II or general manager Omar Khan in any way, he insisted he has a lot of respect for the organization, but didn’t mention either by name.

“They’ve got to run a business, too. They have to protect themselves. They have to do everything possible. But I’d like to think my track record speaks for itself,” Heyward said. “When I’m out there [in the community], I represent this team. When I’m on the field, I represent this team. I just hope it doesn't put a strain on it.”

Indeed, Heyward isn’t just a five-time All-Pro player. He’s also an NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year winner and a Pittsburgh native with ties to numerous charitable organizations around the area.

That makes the public backlash from Steeler fans even thornier for Heyward, who addressed that widespread negative reaction. The sentiment that he signed a contract and should be more focused on helping the team win a Super Bowl — and with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, this very well could be his last best chance to see that dream realized — than his bank account is very real.

“There’s a lot of voices. Everybody has an opinion. But I can’t control that,” Heyward said. “If you know how I work, if you know how I play, that’s all that matters. I have to make a decision for my family. This is a business. I cannot play this game forever. Just like I’m maximized on the field, I want to be maximized outside of it, and I want to be taken care of that way. It’s not being greedy. It’s just the way this game is. It’s Not For Long, the NFL. I would tell every guy to maximize your opportunities.”

Heyward claimed he had no opportunity to work any performance bonuses into the contract he signed last offseason — “Not a lot of players have gotten incentives over here; a lot of it has stemmed from just quarterbacks,” he said — but that he would’ve been more than open to it. All he can do now is hope the Week 1 deadline will spur action on the Steelers’ part.

Perhaps he’s trying to take a stand and leave a legacy of changing how the Steelers run their operation. Or he’s just throwing out empty threats in the meantime. Either way, his only tangible leverage is to withhold his services.

“I don't want to have to think about that,” Heyward said. “I’d like to think cooler heads prevail and we’ll move forward. But if it does get to that, we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.”

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