PITTSBURGH -- Despite Cameron Heyward's limited participation throughout training camp and the preseason amid a prolonged fight for a renegotiated contract, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin anticipates that his four-time All-Pro defensive lineman will play in Sunday's season opener against the New York Jets.
"I'm certainly expecting Cam to play," Tomlin said in his weekly news conference Tuesday. "Cam doesn't play a lot in team development over the last several years. My job is to get him in and out of Latrobe, and I've done my job. And so, there are no reservations about his participation or his readiness. I'm sure he's champing at the bit."
Tomlin, however, added that the team won't have first-round defensive lineman Derrick Harmon available in Week 1 after the rookie sustained an MCL sprain against the Carolina Panthers in the preseason finale. Though the injury initially looked serious as Harmon was taken back to the locker room on a cart, it appears he avoided a worst-case scenario, and the Steelers elected not to place him on short-term IR.
Tomlin also added that linebacker Nick Herbig (hamstring) is questionable for Sunday's game.
While Tomlin was confident that Heyward would be on the field against the Jets, Heyward, who is set to enter his 15th season with the team, was less committal. Speaking on the Tuesday episode of his podcast "Not Just Football," Heyward said, "We'll see," when asked by co-host Hayden Walsh if the defensive captain would be on the field Week 1. Walsh also asked Heyward if there were any updates about the contract.
"Nope," the 36-year-old said. "Nothing to talk about."
Heyward began a brief hold-in at the end of the Steelers' training camp as he grew frustrated about the state of negotiations, but he returned to practice on August 19 when the team resumed practicing at the Steelers' practice facility. Since then, Heyward has participated in both individual drills and team periods.
A source told ESPN that Heyward's practice participation didn't signal the end of his fight for increased compensation for 2025.
Heyward signed a two-year, $29 million extension with the Steelers in September 2024, putting him under contract through the 2026 season. According to OverTheCap.com, his contract's $14.5 million average annual value is ranked 23rd for interior defensive linemen.
"I'm looking to be valued," Heyward said the last time he spoke with reporters on Aug. 11. "... I know what I bring to this team and what I'm capable of on and off the field, so it's hard for me, after the year I've had, to really justify playing at the number I'm playing at.
"I understand. I signed a contract last year, but to be completely honest with you, when I signed that, I told him when I have an All-Pro year expecting me to come back and you can look at the contract and see what it was. But I think everybody kind of giggled a little bit, but in my head, I used it as motivation to go out there and prove it."
At the time, Heyward also didn't rule out missing games if he and the Steelers don't resolve the contract dispute.
"I think there are definitely options out there that could reflect that," he said then.
He also added: "My goal is to be out here, and I don't know what's going to happen. I've had to be honest with myself to be ready for every option. And has it gone the way I wanted to go? No. If it did, I would be out there playing and practicing, but I'd like to put this in the rearview mirror and worry about ball and worry about [the] New York Jets [in] Week 1."
On the other side of the ball, the Steelers released veteran wide receiver Robert Woods from their practice squad, the team announced Tuesday. Woods asked for and was granted his release, a source told ESPN, after deciding he didn't want to continue on the practice squad. But he told the Steelers he would be open to returning to the 53-man roster if a spot opened up. The Steelers obliged and released Woods, who is set to enter his 13th season in the NFL.