Veteran Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward provided a cryptic response during the latest episode of his “Not Just Football” podcast when asked about his Week 1 status.
But on Tuesday, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin left little doubt about Heyward’s Week 1 status.
“I’m certainly expecting Cam [Heyward] to play,” Tomlin told reporters. “Cam doesn’t play a lot in team development over the last several years. My job is to get him in and out of Latrobe, and I’ve done my job.
“There are no reservations about his participation or his readiness. I’m sure he’s chomping at the bit.”
Heyward spent much of the preseason not participating in team practice to create pressure on the Steelers to offer him a new contract. The 36-year-old previously suggested he would potentially sit out regular season games to try and secure a new deal.
Like with Heyward, Tomlin was equally adamant about fellow defensive lineman Derrick Harmon’s Week 1 status. However, the Steelers head coach officially ruled out Harmon for the September 7 matchup versus the New York Jets.
Derrick Harmon is the only guy at this juncture that I would characterize as out,” Tomlin said. “I would characterize [Nick] Herbig as questionable. He had a really good day yesterday.”
Harmon suffered a knee injury during Week 3 of the NFL preseason on August 21. He left the field on a cart. After the game, Tomlin told the media Harmon had a knee sprain.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac reported on August 23 that Harmon might only miss one game.
Steelers’ Cameron Heyward Set to Play in Week 1
Tomlin didn’t receive a direct question on Heyward’s ongoing contract dispute. That made it easier for the Steelers head coach to avoid addressing it outright.
But clearly, Tomlin tried to express that things are business as usual regarding his All-Pro defensive lineman. Even when asked a question about Heyward potentially “compartmentalizing” the game and his contract situation, Tomlin failed to really address the matter.
“I’ll let Cam speak for himself in that regard,” said Tomlin.
If the head coach had let Heyward “speak for himself” about his availability for Sunday, then the media would have been left to wonder about it. Heyward was rather vague about his status for Week 1 on the latest episode of his podcast.
“We’ll see,” said Heyward.
The defensive lineman then said there was “nothing to talk about” with his contract situation.
Instead, Tomlin left little doubt Heyward is playing. That places the pressure fully on the defensive lineman to suit up despite not getting his desired pay raise.
Steelers’ Defensive Line Plan Without Derrick Harmon
Pittsburgh’s first-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft, Harmon was expected to start for the Steelers to begin his rookie campaign. However, Tomlin suggested the team’s approach along the defensive line won’t be all that different without Harmon in Week 1.
“It’s going to be a committee of people, but I’d imagine it would have been a committee of people if he were available,” Tomlin said. We generally play a lot of d-linemen, particularly early in the season due to lack of conditioning and potential heat and so forth.
“So, not only us, but I just think globally speaking, this time of year, most teams play a lot of bigs up front defensive so that fatigue doesn’t become a factor, particularly down the stretch of the football game.”
Without Harmon, though, the Steelers definitely need Heyward. For whatever reason, if the perennial All-Pro and first-round pick along the defensive line were sidelined at the same time, the Steelers could potentially be in crisis mode on the defensive front.
But Tomlin clearly stated that won’t be the case to begin Week 1.
Steelers’ Mike Tomlin Makes Final Week 1 Call on Cameron Heyward, Derrick Harmon