Tag: Not Just Football with Cam Heyward

Cam Heyward on why Steelers struggle to win playoff games

Cam Heyward isn’t holding back on the Steelers’ playoff struggles, calling out slow starts after another early exit.

Cam Heyward has truly turned back the clock in 2024, but it likely means very little to the Pittsburgh Steelers defender, as the team has once again failed to win when it matters most—in the playoffs.

The veteran defender sympathizes with Steelers fans and is equally frustrated himself, as evident when discussing the team’s playoff woes on his podcast, Not Just Football with Cam Heyward.

Heyward explained exactly why the team continues to struggle early in these playoff contests:

“Defense is not getting off the field—not getting three-and-outs. Offense not scoring any points.”

Touching specifically on the loss to the Ravens, Heyward continued to rip into the team’s performance:

“I thought the offense came out in the second half and played a lot better, but it was a hole that was dug pretty deep.”

There is no sugarcoating it—the Pittsburgh Steelers are a terrible first-half football team.

While it’s a start that the veteran DT is addressing the slow starts, but the bigger question remains on how to correct it—and hopefully it is answered in time for Heyward to win his Super Bowl before retirement.

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Cam Heyward sets the record straight with struggling defense comments

Cam Heyward clarifies his comments, stating he was not blaming a single player for the Steelers’ defensive struggles.

After three consecutive subpar performances by the Pittsburgh Steelers defense, many are looking for one player in particular to blame.

Cam Heyward unintentionally added fuel to the speculation of a “mysterious struggling player” by commenting on 10 players doing their job and one player dropping the ball following the team’s Week 17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. However, the Steelers defensive tackle clarified his remarks on a teaser for an upcoming episode of his podcast, Not Just Football with Cam Heyward.

Co-host Hayden Walsh began by addressing the misunderstanding, noting that while many assumed Heyward was singling out one specific player for the Steelers’ defensive struggles, the defensive tackle was actually criticizing the defense as a whole. Heyward then reassured fans by explaining exactly what he meant by his comments:

“Guys, I did not mean someone in particular,” Heyward stated. “I’m a grown man. If I have a problem with somebody, I’m gonna go talk to him. And I’m probably talking to him on the field.”

Thankfully, the search for this so-called struggling player can finally be put to rest, allowing the team to focus on their Week 18 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals without further unnecessary distractions.

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Cam Heyward tears into controversial Week 15 officiating vs Eagles

Cam Heyward calls out poor officiating in the Week 15 Steelers-Eagles game that saw several questionable penalty decisions made.

As viewers of the Week 15 contest between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles are well aware, the officiating was—to say the least—terrible.

Veteran Steelers DT Cam Heyward took exception with two poor calls in particular, one that saw his little brother TE/FB Connor Heyward being punched, and the other was TE Darnell Washington being slugged by Eagles CB Darius Slay.

On the most recent episode of Not Just Football with Cam Heyward, the Steelers defensive tackle discussed both of the atrocious officiating decisions: “The reasoning behind those two plays just felt idiotic.”

Heyward would continue to rip into the officials’ decisions and vision on these penalties, arguing that it “did not feel like they even looked at the plays.”

Heyward concluded his analysis and criticism of the officials from Week 15’s contest, describing that, at the very least, the penalties should have offset between Washington and Slay.

Heyward will need to recompose himself, as the team has little time to focus on the poor officiating from Week 15. The Pittsburgh Steelers have the potential to take the AFC North title by defeating the Baltimore Ravens in Week 16, and to do so, every bit of energy and effort will need to be spent on stopping the Lamar Jackson-led offense.

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