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Predicting Cam Heyward’s Contract with Steelers

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Predicting Cam Heyward’s Contract with Steelers


PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cam Heyward still have not agreed on a new contract. The team’s minicamp is completed, leaving just a brief break between now and the start of training camp. After that, the regular season will be here in a snap, leaving contract talks to wait until the season concludes.

If a contract extension is completed, it will be during this break before training camp and the preseason begins. Heyward recently made bold claims about playing elsewhere, which could apply pressure on the Steelers to finalize his new extension. The biggest question remaining in these negotiations is what will the contract look like if they reach an agreement.

Let’s start with the NFL’s current market for defensive linemen. According to Over the Cap, Heyward’s average salary of just over $16 million ranks 19th among interior defensive linemen. The position received a huge boost when the recently retired Aaron Donald negotiated his contract extension, earning himself an average salary north of $30 million.

That reset of the market led to a group of younger defensive linemen getting paid. Players such as Justin Madubuike, Derrick Brown, Dexter Lawrence, and Jeffrey Simmons all received contracts totaling more than $90 million after Donald signed his extension. They also were guaranteed at least 50% of their total contract. Heyward wants to be paid like a top-10 defensive lineman in the NFL, putting him on par with or exceeding these contracts.

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The biggest hold-up for the Steelers is Heyward’s age. He’s 35 years old, and while he wants to play longer, there is no guarantee what level he can bring to finish his career. The best linemen in the league are between the ages of 25-31, with many players out of the league by the time they are Cam’s age.

There’s no doubt that the Steelers have a freak of nature in Cam Heyward, but should they pay him like he will be elite for the duration of his next contract? His performance at this point of his career is an anomaly, and the Steelers could believe that anomaly is coming to an end.

If the two sides get a deal done, it will be a compromise. Heyward can’t expect to make as much money as he’d like, and the Steelers must do something they never do: sign an aging veteran to a market-rate contract.

Some examples that could key us in on a potential contract are recent deals for defensive linemen age 30 or older. An example from last summer is former Steelers nose tackle Javon Hargrave. At age 30, he signed a four-year, $84 million deal with San Francisco. Similarly, DeForest Buckner recently signed a two-year, $46 million contract with the Indianapolis Colts. Nearly all of the money is guaranteed as well.

With all of this in mind, what will a new deal look like between Heyward and the Steelers? The length of the contract feels easier to predict. Heyward stated that he wants to play a few more years, so why not settle on a two or three-year contract? The team can structure it so there are options worked in and can leave themselves wiggle room should Heyward drastically decline.

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As for the salary, that’s the real kicker. If the Steelers are willing to up his average salary to somewhere between $20 and $25 million, depending on the length of the contract, a deal will get done quickly. A new contract in the neighborhood of two-year, $40-48 million, or three-year, $60-70 million should put this negotiation to rest for Heyward and the Steelers.

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Blanche says DOJ

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Blanche says DOJ


Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Tuesday that the Justice Department is not moving forward with its $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund that has become a major obstacle to the GOP agenda in Congress.

“We are not moving forward with the fund. Period,” he told lawmakers on the House Appropriations Committee.



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Luke Bryan concert expected to bring thousands of fans to Pittsburgh-area farm

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Luke Bryan concert expected to bring thousands of fans to Pittsburgh-area farm


On Sept. 17, multi-platinum country music star Luke Bryan will bring his Farm Tour to 1846 Farms near Latrobe.

Westmoreland County is no stranger to large outdoor concerts. Some may remember the Rolling Rock Town Fair in the early 2000s, while others may recall Luke Bryan’s stop at a farm in South Huntingdon Township just two years ago. Now the country music superstar is returning to the area.

The Unity Township farm’s general manager, Aleisha Stas, gave KDKA a tour of the family farm, which dates back to before the Civil War. She says Bryan’s team first reached out after finding the farm on social media, but she says at first, she and her family thought it was too good to be true.

“This was around April Fools, so we thought it was an April Fools prank,” Stas said. “My whole family, we were like, there’s no way this is about to happen. But this has been incredible.”

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Stas says Bryan’s team is handling everything logistically from parking and bathrooms to deciding exactly where the concert will be staged.

“If we have it on this side of the property, we can hold 12,000 people,” Stas said. “And if we have it on (the other side) of the property, it can be up to 20,000. But we have not determined that yet.”

Many of those decisions will be made as September gets closer. In the meantime, however, the farm is holding off on planting in certain fields until the final concert location is selected.

And while hosting thousands of people may sound a little intimidating, Stas says her family is excited to welcome fans to the farm for what they hope will be a memorable night.

“Obviously, we’ve never had this many people here before, so it will be a new thing for all of us, but we are not worried,” said Stas. “Luke Bryan’s team are experts with this, and I think it will go great.”

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Tickets for this concert are currently on sale, and they will run you about $77 per person, plus tax for general admission.



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2025 Steelers Offseason Recall: Garrett shutdown as Pittsburgh bullied Browns in Week 6 | Steel City Underground

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2025 Steelers Offseason Recall: Garrett shutdown as Pittsburgh bullied Browns in Week 6 | Steel City Underground


Steel City Underground presents post-game takeaways in our Steelers Offseason Recall series, revisiting key moments from the 2025 season and how they shaped the year that followed.

AFC North football rarely looks pretty, and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week 6 matchup against the Cleveland Browns at Acrisure Stadium followed that familiar formula. What started as a defensive slugfest on a torn-up field eventually turned into another frustrating afternoon for Cleveland as Pittsburgh pulled away for a 23-9 victory.

The win improved the Steelers to 4-1 and extended their remarkable regular season home winning streak against the Browns to 22 games. More importantly, it reinforced an early-season identity centered around disruptive defense, efficient quarterback play, and winning the battle in the trenches.

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Looking back, these were the biggest surprises from Pittsburgh’s victory.

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Jalen Ramsey stole the show from Watt and Garrett

Nobody expected Jalen Ramsey to leave Week 6 with more sacks than T.J. Watt and Myles Garrett combined, but that’s exactly what happened.

Ramsey entered the game after missing practice time earlier in the week and proceeded to deliver one of the more unexpected stat lines of the season. The veteran defensive back recorded two sacks and six combined tackles while frequently helping confuse Cleveland’s protection schemes.

Meanwhile, Watt recorded half a sack while Garrett failed to register one entirely.

Ramsey even admitted afterward that the performance surprised him. His production highlighted an emerging trend within Pittsburgh’s defense: pressure was coming from everywhere.

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The Steelers defense overwhelmed Cleveland’s offense

While Ramsey grabbed headlines, the collective defensive effort suffocated Cleveland for most of the afternoon.

The Steelers finished with six sacks as Nick Herbig led the team with two sacks while Ramsey added two of his own. Derrick Harmon, Watt, and Alex Highsmith also got involved as Pittsburgh repeatedly collapsed the pocket around rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

Gabriel never looked comfortable. The rookie completed 29 of 59 passes for 221 yards and struggled once Cleveland became one-dimensional after falling behind. He finished with a passer rating of 66.3 while absorbing constant punishment.

Pittsburgh didn’t rely solely on edge pressure either. Defensive backs blitzed, interior rushers collapsed protection, and disguised looks forced Cleveland into mistakes.

Perhaps equally impressive was how the Steelers handled Browns rookie running back Quinshon Judkins. Entering the matchup, Judkins had averaged 4.6 yards per carry and looked like one of Cleveland’s few consistent offensive weapons. Pittsburgh erased that advantage, holding him to a season-low 36 rushing yards on 12 carries while limiting him to 3.0 yards per attempt.

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Through five games played after their bye week, the Steelers had already amassed 20 sacks and were rapidly becoming one of football’s most disruptive defenses.

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Myles Garrett disappeared

The Browns needed a game-changing performance from Myles Garrett. Instead, Pittsburgh’s offensive line turned in one of its best performances of the season.

Garrett moved around the formation throughout the game, but he spent much of the afternoon lined up across from Broderick Jones. With occasional help early and more one-on-one opportunities later, Jones and company neutralized Cleveland’s biggest defensive weapon.

Garrett finished with only two combined tackles. He failed to record a solo tackle, sack, forced fumble, quarterback hit, or pass defended.

Keeping Garrett quiet fundamentally changed how Cleveland could attack Rodgers and allowed Pittsburgh’s offense to remain balanced throughout the afternoon.

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Rodgers stayed efficient and upright

Aaron Rodgers didn’t deliver a vintage statistical masterpiece: he simply controlled the game.

The veteran quarterback completed 21 of 30 passes for 235 yards while distributing the football efficiently and trusting Arthur Smith‘s offensive approach. Rodgers leaned heavily on his tight ends early before taking advantage of favorable matchups later in the game.

His biggest moments arrived in the second half. Rodgers connected with Connor Heyward for a touchdown strike before finding D.K. Metcalf for another score that helped create separation on the scoreboard.

Equally important, Rodgers stayed upright. For only the second time that season, Pittsburgh allowed zero sacks. Cleveland hit Rodgers only three times despite him attempting 30 passes.

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Compare that with Dillon Gabriel, who absorbed six sacks and 16 total quarterback hits.

The offensive line, aided by extra blocking looks featuring Spencer Anderson, kept Cleveland’s front from controlling the game and allowed Rodgers to operate comfortably. Metcalf benefited from the protection, turning four receptions into 95 yards while the Steelers spread touches across Jonnu Smith, Pat Freiermuth, Roman Wilson, Darnell Washington, and Heyward.

Meanwhile, Jaylen Warren, Kenneth Gainwell, and Kaleb Johnson combined for 89 rushing yards to maintain offensive balance. Pittsburgh averaged 5.8 yards per play and controlled possession despite both teams having the same number of drives.

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The officiating nearly stole the spotlight

Not everything about the victory came without frustration. Ron Torbert’s officiating crew inserted itself into the game repeatedly as Pittsburgh absorbed ten accepted penalties during an afternoon filled with questionable decisions.

Several pass interference rulings frustrated players and fans alike.

Jerry Jeudy appeared to drag Brandin Echols down by both shoulder pads on one play, yet the result went against Pittsburgh. Later, Browns cornerback Denzel Ward appeared to pin D.K. Metcalf’s arm without drawing a flag.

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Even Watt found himself repeatedly flagged for alignment penalties despite checking positioning with officials beforehand, leading to visible frustration from Mike Tomlin on the sideline.

The most controversial moment arrived on special teams. Ke’Shawn Williams appeared to spark the crowd with a 47-yard punt return before an illegal blindside block penalty on Jabrill Peppers erased the play. The penalty not only wiped away field position but also backed Pittsburgh up an additional ten yards.

Despite the officiating frustrations, the Steelers remained composed, and by the end of the afternoon, that discipline, paired with suffocating defense and efficient offense, delivered another divisional win and continued building momentum heading into a critical AFC North stretch.





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