Pittsburgh Steelers are making sure their defense has solid foundations for years to come. The team announced on Monday that they have signed Pro Bowl defensive tackle Cameron Heyward to a four-year extension, which will keep him with the organization through 2024.
Heyward, who had one year left on his old deal, will reportedly get $65.6 million in new money. This is a total of $75.1 million for five years, which makes him the highest-paid defensive player aged 30 or more in league history.
Ever since he entered the league as 2011’s first-round pick, Cameron Heyward was a consistent performer for the Steelers. This was especially the case in the last three years when he received three consecutive Pro Bowl nods and two First-Team All-Pro honors. Heyward finished the 2019 season with career-high 83 tackles alongside 9.0 sacks, six pass deflections, and one forced fumble.
Heyward was also one of Pittsburgh’s most reliable players in the past nine seasons, playing all but 10 games and contributing on both defense and special teams.
“Cam is special,” said Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin of Heyward during the offseason. “It starts with his consistency. Not only consistency in presence, he is a guy who is ever-present, but consistency in work, consistency in urgency, there is great consistency in everything he does. I think it provides a good floor in everything he does.”
