Steelers Now
Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro defensive tackle Cam Heyward did not crack ESPN’s top-10 defensive tackle rankings. He wasn’t even named honorable mention.
NFL executives, coaches and scouts conducted the ranking.The top-10 defensive tackles listed were Leonard Williams, Jeffrey Simmons, Jalen Carter, Chris Jones, Derrick Brown, Quinnen Williams, Dexter Lawrence, Zach Allen, Milton Williams and Jordan Davis.
Heyward was ranked No. 39 on Pete Prisco’s recent top-100 list, dropping two spots from last year. It’s mind-boggling that Heyward did not make ESPN’s top-10 list for DTs.
The 37-year-old is heading into his 16th NFL season, but he’s shown no signs of slowing down.
“Age isn’t slowing down this 37-year-old interior defender,” Prisco wrote. “He had one of his best seasons in 2025. He is a force against the run and as a pass rusher.”
Heyward needs no endorsement at this point of his career. However, anything to build upon his resume for the Pro Football Hall of Fame will help, and one current member sees a Gold Jacket in Heyward’s future.
Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter believes Heyward is cut from the same cloth as Steelers legendary defensive tackle Mean Joe Greene.
“He’s still playing at an All-Pro level,” Carter said on his Fully Loaded Podcast. “He’s vitally important in the community, he’s vitally important in the locker room, he’s vitally important in the front office, he’s vitally important as far as the Steelers and their legacy. He’s not mean Joe Greene, but he is the next best thing to Mean Joe Greene, and playing for the Steelers.”
One thing is missing from Heyward’s resume, however, and that’s a Super Bowl ring. Heyward has been a part of just three playoff wins in his 15 years with the Steelers. He was active for just one playoff win, as he was injured in 2016.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Cam Heyward Gets Snubbed in ESPN’s Latest Rankings
