Looking back on Steelers football, one decade ago.
Training camp starts on Wednesday — new football is almost here! But before then, let's take a look at a Steelers season from the past.
From the first edition of this series (read it here!):
Earlier this year, I solicited some article ideas from BTSC readers, and one of them was a “where are they now” piece on past Steelers. Believe it or not, 2015 was a decade ago, and that felt like a natural spot to look back on from 2025.
In that season, the Steelers finished 10-6 and placed second in the AFC North behind the 12-4 Cincinnati Bengals. However, the Steelers would knock the Bengals out of the Wild Card round (the Martavis Bryant flip catch game) before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos in the Divisional round.
In Part 2, we’ll be looking at the major defensive contributors on that 2015 team. You can view statistics, full rosters, and more on Pro Football Reference. Here’s what they’re up to now:
DE Cam Heyward (54 total tackles, seven sacks)
- Still on the Steelers! Heyward is entering his 15th year in the NFL at age 36 in 2025. He’s also coming off his fourth-career first-team All-Pro.
- Heyward’s 88.5 career sacks currently rank second in Steelers history, behind T.J. Watt’s 108.
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Founded “The Heyward House” through the Cameron Heyward Foundation in 2015, which “seeks to empower, enlighten, and engage youth through innovative programs, partnerships, and community outreach.” Heyward won the Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2023.
- Hosts the weekly “Not Just Football with Cam Heyward” podcast through Vox Media.
NT Steve McLendon (14 total tackles, one sack)
- Last played in the 2021-22 NFL season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers; won a Super Bowl with them in the 2020-21 season.
- He founded the Team MVP Gym (MVP stands for “McLendon Vision Performance” in this case) in Flowery Branch, Georgia, in 2019 while he was still a player. This 2023 article from Jets.com follows up with McLendon: “It’s like one of the best things ever for me because I see their process. I see their journey. I see their hard work. I see their dedication, not only in the gym, but I get to see it in their classroom.”
- Per that 2023 article, McLendon lives in Buford, Georgia, with his wife and four sons.
DE Stephon Tuitt (54 tackles, 6.5 sacks)
- Last played in 2020. Tuitt suffered an injury in 2021 and lost his brother, Richard Bartlett III, in a tragic hit-and-run that same year. Tuitt didn’t play that season and retired in 2022. “After the tragic loss of my brother Richard, and upon completing my degree from the University of Notre Dame, I know I am being called to move beyond the sport of football,” he wrote in his retirement announcement.
- Tuitt has largely stayed out of the news since his...
Behind the Steel Curtain
