Steelers Now
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was named the Pro Football Writers of America 2024 NFL Comeback Player of the Year. Burrow led the NFL in yards, touchdowns and completions in 2024 after missing seven games in 2023 with a wrist injury.
While Burrow is deserving of the award, there certainly is a strong argument that Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cam Heyward was a better candidate.
Heyward had groin surgery in the offseason, and many were skeptical that he would return to his former self. After signing a three-year, $45 million contract extension in September, he proved the doubters wrong by earning a Pro Bowl selection and being named first-team All-Pro. … Heyward accomplished this at age 35, too. It’s unheard of for a 35-year-old defensive tackle to receive such honors.
Along with leading all DTs with 71 tackles, Heyward has eight sacks, 12 tackles for loss and 11 pass defended in 2024. The last player who recorded 8+ sacks, 10+ TFL and 8+ pass defenses through their first 13 games of a season was J.J. Watt in 2014.
J.J. Watt was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2014, which is why it’s pretty head-scratching that Heyward is not being considered for DPOY.
Heyward was also omitted as a finalist for the 2024 Associated Press NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award.
The finalists for NFL CPOY are Burrow, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold, Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins, New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez and Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin.
RELATED: Steelers All-Pro Cam Heyward Gets Snubbed as Finalist for Two NFL Awards
Heyward is 35, but he’s playing like he’s 25. The 14-year veteran looks like he has plenty of left in the tank.
“He is such a treat,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said on the Pat McAfee Show in early December. “He is playing lights out. His play has been top tier. He is playing as good as he has ever played. He’s an ageless wonder. But I also just really appreciate that he is Pittsburgh born and raised.
“We drafted this guy in 2011, and just to watch him grow as a player and a human, it’s been cool to be a part of that. And it really just makes my day easy, to be quite honest with you. That dude understands what we’re doing here, our approach to business, our culture, our values. He embodies all of those things.”
It’s the fourth time that Heyward’s been named first-team All-Pro by the AP, first since 2021. He also was named to the Pro Bowl for the seventh time in his career.
Hyeward has recorded 88.5 career sacks, which is second on the franchise’s all-time list. Having that many sacks as a defensive tackle speaks volumes. Only T.J. Watt has more sacks than him in Steelers history.
Heyward also was named the Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2023. With earning another first-team All-Pro accolade, Heyward could have solidified his case...
