Breakout Season For ‘A Large Toddler’
For reporters at least, Cameron Heyward was the toast of the locker room this past week.
Yes, he鈥檚 been kicking tail and taking names since being promoted to the starting lineup two games ago, and that was the gist of most conversations.
The buy-in, though, was that Heyward went to college with the star quarterback of this week鈥檚 opponent: Terrelle Pryor.
鈥淗is athleticism is ridiculous,鈥� Heyward said. 鈥淓verybody thinks they know what type of player he is, but you see on film now he鈥檚 running away from DBs. He鈥檚 got 4.3 speed. He looks like he鈥檚 jogging out there. But I remember back in our basketball days he was just doing some sick dunks. He鈥檚 a heck of a basketball player, but a hell of a football player.鈥�
Basketball days?
鈥淚鈥檓 decent,鈥� Heyward said. 鈥淚 used to play a little bit.鈥�
So did Aaron Smith.
So did Brett Keisel.
Maybe it should be the prerequisite for Steelers 3-4 defensive ends.
Heyward, like those other famous 5-techniques, was a power forward. He played for, among other teams, an AAU squad called the Pittsburgh J.O.T.S.
Dejuan Blair 鈥� former Pitt Panther and current Dallas Maverick 鈥� was the center. Pryor was the small forward. D.J. Kennedy 鈥� former St. John Red Hawk and Cleveland Cav 鈥� was the shooting guard. At point guard was 6-8 Herb Pope, whom talent guru Sonny Vaccaro once called 鈥渢he best player I鈥檝e seen from the Pittsburgh area probably in more than 20 years.鈥�
That team could play a little bit. But Heyward has graduated to an NFL team that is starting to play a little bit. And Heyward鈥檚 one of the reasons. In spite of the fact he鈥檚 ninth on the defense in number of snaps, Heyward leads the Steelers with 17 quarterback pressures.
In the last two games, of course, his average snap count has increased by 73 percent as he鈥檚 joined the starting lineup after two-plus seasons on the bench.
If you ask around the front offices for an approximate time the light clicked on for Heyward, you鈥檙e likely to be answered this way: The light went on for the coaching staff instead.
Most will admit to wanting Heyward to replace Ziggy Hood late last season. But many sources actually said so at the time. I even reported that a one-on-one positional showdown was looming before training camp. It never took place, but Mike Tomlin eventually made the move himself during the bye.
The Steelers are 2-0 since then.
鈥淗e鈥檚 come in and played very well, but he made significant strides this off-season,鈥� said Keisel. 鈥淚 think a lot of it comes with more understanding of the defense, more understanding of what we want him to do, a better understanding of his own technique.
鈥淵ou know, you can鈥檛 just try and play with a stance like I do or like Aaron did or like Casey (Hampton) does. You鈥檝e got to kind of develop your own way that you play. And I think once all that comes together, and you get comfortable, that鈥檚 when you make the biggest strides. That鈥檚 what he鈥檚 done and they鈥檙e giving him this opportunity. He鈥檚 taken advantage of it.鈥�
The play Heyward made during a goal-line stand, that kept the New York Jets to a field goal, is an example. That鈥檚 been Keisel鈥檚 favorite Heyward play of the season thus far.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 have a favorite play yet,鈥� said Heyward. 鈥淗opefully my favorite play comes up pretty soon.鈥�
That kickoff return against the Baltimore Ravens had to at least be a fun play. But after displaying his father鈥檚 form 鈥� according to the TV play-by-play man 鈥� he was tackled, and then reprimanded.
鈥淚 have to be smart,鈥� Heyward said. 鈥淵ou could see on Monday where Sharrif Floyd of the Vikings fumbled the ball. He did the same exact thing, trying to gain extra yards.鈥�
鈥淗e was trying to beat my 12-yard average,鈥� said Keisel. 鈥淚鈥檝e got two returns in my stat sheet, 12 yards. Did Cam get that? I think he got about 11 and a half.鈥�
Heyward was credited with 11.0 yards.
鈥淲hich,鈥� Keisel added, 鈥渁t the end of those, about 10 guys drill you and you鈥檙e under the pile getting hit every time and you鈥檙e like 鈥榃hy did I do that?鈥� They smoke you, ya know? So the coaches just want to make sure he doesn鈥檛 get hurt doing something like that.鈥�
Another recent Heyward play was simple, yet sublime. Against the Ravens he was putting heat on the quarterback but quickly came off the O-lineman鈥檚 block to tackle the receiver 8 yards over the middle. He鈥檚 that quick.
And at only 288 pounds, he鈥檚 strong.
鈥淗e is strong,鈥� said Joe Long, a guard/tackle who鈥檚 faced Heyward in every practice since May. 鈥淗e has great hands. If you see him in the weight room, he can put up a lot of weight. And he can move guys off the ball.鈥�
鈥淢e and Kelvin Beachum worked out together almost every day in the off-season and we really pushed ourselves,鈥� said Heyward. 鈥淵ou have to. I may not look it but I have to be stronger if I鈥檓 going to play that position.
鈥淭hat was my main goal coming into the season, to be one of the stronger defensive ends, just don鈥檛 rely on quickness, because if they鈥檙e going to block you you鈥檝e got to hold the point.鈥�
His backup, Al Woods, raves about Heyward鈥檚 study habits and note-taking. And Emmanuel Sanders perks up when talking about Heyward鈥檚 play on special teams. After all, Heyward threw the block that opened up the sideline alley for Sanders鈥� late return (that was called back) against the Ravens.
鈥淵eah, he did,鈥� said Sanders. 鈥淐am is extremely athletic. When you have a guy like that, it helps out the team a lot because he鈥檚 very flexible 鈥� to be so big, you know.鈥�
We know. And those little things are adding up to a breakout season.
Heyward even helps out as locker-room clown.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a goofball in the locker room,鈥� said Long.
鈥淵eah, Cam鈥檚 like a large toddler,鈥� said Keisel. 鈥淗e鈥檚 like a child, an enormous child. But it鈥檚 fun. That little kid that鈥檚 inside of him, who he keeps a hold of and still runs around with, I enjoy it as an older guy, because his youthful exuberance kind of rubs off on us.鈥�
He鈥檚 got it all, doesn鈥檛 he?
鈥淲ell,鈥� Keisel said. 鈥淭ell him he needs to work on his beard.鈥�
And probably his outside jump shot.