Cam Heyward is coming off one of the best seasons of his 14-year career at age 35. The future Hall of Famer earned his fourth first-team All-Pro selection, suiting up in all 17 games for the Pittsburgh Steelers' defense.
While he is coming off a heroic campaign, Father Time catches up to everyone sooner or later — something NFL coaches, executives, and scouts are projecting for the Steelers veteran as he enters his 15th season.
On Tuesday, ESPN released its defensive tackle rankings, as selected by front office members throughout the league. Despite earning first-team All-Pro honors, Cam Heyward was ranked 10th on the list. He finished the season with 71 total tackles, 12 for loss, and eight sacks.

The 36-year-old responded to the placement with a three-word post on X.
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"They back talkin...," Heyward posted on Tuesday.
The list is as follows:
- Dexter Lawrence II, NYG
- Chris Jones, KC
- Jalen Carter, PHI
- Jeffery Simmons, TEN
- Quinnen Williams, NYJ
- Leonard Williams, SEA
- Nnamdi Madubuike, BAL
- DeForest Buckner, IND
- Vita Vea, TB
- Cam Heyward, PIT
Christian Wilkins, Derrick Brown, Zach Allen, Zach Sieler and Kobie Turner were each listed as honorable mentions.
Cam Heyward "fighting off inevitable decline" entering 15th season: ESPN's Jeremy Fowler
Cam Heyward presents an argument for a higher ranking despite his age. He was arguably the league's best interior defensive lineman last season, after all.
At 35, Heyward earned the fifth total All-Pro selection of his career and was a pivotal source of consistency for a Steelers defense that struggled to maintain momentum down the stretch of the season.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler made the case for Heyward's low ranking on the list despite some of the league's best production from the interior.
"Fighting off inevitable decline, Heyward produced eight sacks, 20 quarterback hits and a league-high eight batted passes. The difference from a down 2023 campaign was simple," Fowler said.
Still, Heyward's ranking is unjustifiably low given his production, regardless of age. Entering year 15, the Pittsburgh legend has likely secured his place in Canton after his exceptional 2024 season.
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