Cam Heyward Sends Message to Brother Connor After Leaving Steelers

Though he just agreed to a new extension that will keep him with the Pittsburgh Steelers for at least another season, defensive tackle Cameron Heyward saw his brother leave the team for an opportunity elsewhere in the AFC.

Tight end/fullback Connor Heyward, who spent the duration of his rookie deal with the Steelers after they selected him in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft, has signed a two-year contract worth a maximum of $5.5 million that also guarantees him $2 million, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

The older Heyward headed to Instagram and penned a message for his younger brother upon the news breaking, stating how proud he is and how grateful he was to play alongside him for four seasons.

"So proud of this dude @connorheyward1 You have worked your a** of," Heyward wrote. "So excited for this next chapter in YOUR story. You were never appreciated enough for the player you are. Can’t wait to watch you capitalize on a great situation. I’ve enjoyed this very cool chapter where I got to say I played with my brother! I love you, I’m proud of you. And now you go and make YOUR LEGACY!"

Dec 28, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers tight end/fullback Connor Heyward (83) warms up before the game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Connor's Steelers Tenure

Drafted alongside the likes of Kenny Pickett, George Pickens and Calvin Austin III, all of whom are no longer with the Steelers as well, Heyward stepped into a relatively high-profile role on the team's offense almost immediately under coordinator Matt Canada.

Over the first two campaigns of his professional career, Heyward recorded 577 offensive snaps and appeared in all 34 of Pittsburgh's contests, starting seven of them. During that span, he hauled in 35 passes for 318 yards and a touchdown.

His role diminished once Arthur Smith took over for Canada leading into the 2024 campaign, however, after the latter was fired in November 2023.

Over his final two years as a Steeler, Heyward logged 297 reps on the offensive side of the ball while posting nine receptions for 61 yards and a pair of scores.

He remained a constant on special teams throughout his entire tenure with 1,124 reps, but he also was essentially phased out of the offense by Smith considering he was on the field for just nine percent of their snaps in 2025.

Will Pittsburgh Have New Fullback?

Mike McCarthy has typically always integrated a fullback within his offenses, and that should remain the expectation in Pittsburgh.

Though Heyward is no longer in the picture, veteran Michael Burton is available on the free agent market and could be an option for the Steelers, or the organization could target a prospect like Indiana's Riley Nowakowski in the 2026 NFL Draft.

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