Cam Heyward Talks About Early Years In Pittsburgh: ‘I Was A Bust’

[Steeler Nation]

The Pittsburgh Steelers were coming off their second Super Bowl appearance in three seasons. They were loaded with talent from one side of the football to the other. That included a defensive line of Aaron Smith, Brett Keisel, and Casey Hampton. All were vastly underappreciated, and undervalued during their time in Pittsburgh. Hampton was the only top draft pick out of the bunch. Their job as always in Pittsburgh: Let the linebackers eat. Insert rookie Cameron Heyward, who was selected with the 31st pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.

He was thrown into the defensive line mix with all of those guys, and third year veteran, former first round pick, Ziggy Hood. The Steelers knew at the time that the end would be near for Smith, Keisel, and Hampton soon. Smith retired following 2011, and Hampton would go in 2012. But Heyward was still behind Hood on the depth chart. Hood would never live up to his potential and was not re-signed when his rookie deal was up.






Heyward had 2.5 sacks in his first two seasons. It wasn’t until 2013 that Heyward would get an opportunity. He started 13 games, recorded 7 batted balls, and 5 sacks.

“I hope last year wasn’t a breakout season because I believe I can achieve way more,” Heyward said following the 2013 season. “I still have a mentality where I think of myself as a bust.”

This week, Heyward joined the Pat McAfee Show, and again spoke about considering himself a bust early on.

“There was a lot I had to deal with. I had to learn a lot about myself during that time,” he told the show. “I was a bust. I was a full-on bust. I had to learn, and I’m fine with that.”

McAfee would bring up the fact that Pittsburgh isn’t a town with a lot of patience, and fans aren’t ever happy to sit around and wait on a player to come around. He would also bring up the fact that Heyward’s father Craig ‘Ironhead’ Heyward was an important figure in Pittsburgh. He of course was a Pitt star during his time in college.

“Vital, depressing,” Heyward would go on. “That was a lot I had to deal with. I had to learn a lot about myself in that time.”

Regardless of what happened in the early years for Heyward, it worked. Heyward is an All-Pro and likely crafting a Hall of Fame caliber career. He’s grown into the heart and soul of the Steelers over the years, and that will grow a little more with Ben Roethlisberger retiring.

Since Heyward’s second season, he has 65.5 sacks, and 508 tackles. Heyward is currently 4th on the Steelers All-Time sack list behind James Harrison, Jason Gildon, and TJ Watt. Watt will end up as the Steelers All-Time sack leader eventually, but Heyward likely will end up #2. Incredible accomplishments for an incredible guy.



WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE

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