Pittsburgh Steelers DT Cam Heyward is unique in an NFL full of unique players. He turned 37 years old in May, and he continues to be a difference maker on the Steelers’ defensive line. In 2025, he recorded 3.5 sacks, 78 total tackles, and nine tackles for a loss, along with nine quarterback hits.
That’s impressive for a defensive tackle playing in a 3-4 defense, period. That Heyward did that as a 36-year-old? You’re in uncharted territory.
When Check The Mic talked about the best player at every position on Monday, Cam Heyward did not get the nod for the best tackle from either Sam Monson or Steve Palazzolo. Monson tabbed the Tennessee Titans’ Jeffery Simmons, while Palazzolo selected the Kansas City Chiefs’ Chris Jones. However, both men had Heyward on their short list.
“You could fairly chop Cameron Heyward’s career in half now,” Monson said. “The second half is way better than the first half. Since the age of 30, he’s been way better than he was before the age of 30. He’s becoming a better player, despite the age. It’s kind of crazy.”
Prior to Cam Heyward’s age-30 season in 2019, he had received one first-team All-Pro nod and two Pro Bowl berths. Starting with that 2019 season, Heyward has made the Pro Bowl five times, made the first-team All-Pro list three times, and the second-team All-Pro list twice. Two of his double-digit sack seasons came after the age of 30. He set his career-high tackle mark in 2021 at 32 years old. Three of his four best tackle seasons came after turning 30 years old.
There is no doubt that Cam Heyward has gotten better as a player since turning 30 years old. For a position where you’re slamming into 300+ pound human beings snap after snap, that’s absolutely crazy. Remember, former Los Angeles Rams DT Aaron Donald, long held as one of the best to ever do it, retired after the season he turned 32 years old.
Cam Heyward had 10.5 sacks the year he turned 33. In a city that prides itself on beer, he’s aging like fine wine. No wonder beat writer Mark Kaboly thinks the Steelers should scale back his snaps a little bit to prolong his effectiveness. After all, Palazzolo noted that Heyward has played over 800 snaps pretty much every season since 2017, minus his injury-plagued 2023.
Which makes how darn good Cam Heyward is even crazier. He’s played seven seasons since turning 30 years old. In one of them, 2023, he only played in 11 games and was hampered by injuries. Yet he’s still been one of the best defensive tackles in the league.
Kind of crazy, indeed, Sam Monson.
