The Pittsburgh Steelers and defensive lineman Cam Heyward have agreed to a new three-year, $45 million extension, sources told PennLive. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN first reported the news.

As a result, Pittsburgh keeps their star defensive lineman in the fold, and he remains a Steeler for the rest of his career.

In the deal, Heyward will get $16 million guaranteed, and the team has added $29 million in new money to the deal. However, that means that Heyward’s first year, which will be the 2024 season, is almost all guaranteed. He is under contract with the Steelers through the 2026 season when he will be 37 years old.

Heyward stated that he hopes to play two or three more seasons, and the deal allows him to accomplish that goal while Pittsburgh still has a stalwart in the middle of their defensive line. The Steelers seemed tentative to give Heyward the deal after coming off a season where Heyward suffered a significant groin injury. Heyward will have a signing bonus of $15 million.

With the signing, Heyward’s cap charge for the 2024 season drops significantly, and his base salary will likely increase in both 2025 and 2026. The Steelers can turn that into a signing bonus, or they could easily move on from Heyward with little guarantees left on the deal.

Over his career, Heyward has 80.5 sacks, three First-Team All-Pro nods, and six Pro Bowl selections. He was named the Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2023. Heyward, the Steelers’ first-round pick out of Ohio State in 2011, is the team’s defensive captain and is the lifeblood of the Steelers locker room. Now, he gets to finish his career with the Steelers.