There are two things in this world that remain undefeated. Mother Nature and Father Time. While one comes for us on occasion the other’s arrival is often uncertain in its arrival but is nevertheless guaranteed to make an appearance. We all handle the arrival of Father Time differently whether we are talking about our inability to hit a golf ball 300 yards any longer or the fact that we need prescription reading glasses. The Pittsburgh Steelers have been around since 1933 and they’ve seen their fair share of guys finally meet face-to-face with Mr. Time. The problem isn’t on their end, it’s on the player’s end and that is exactly where we are today with regard to Cam Heyward.
If you have found yourself mad at Heyward for not attending OTAs or maybe you’re irritated by his stance that he should be paid among the top five defensive linemen in the game… I get it. We want him to be at the facility (he is now by the way) and we want him to be the leader this team needs. But we must also put ourselves in Heyward’s shoes.
At 35, he is the oldest defensive lineman in the NFL currently on a roster – there are a few other older players but they are currently free agents – and all he has ever known in his life is playing football. That has been his passion and his occupation for the vast majority of his time on this planet. He’s had two major surgeries in the last five months yet he is determined to demonstrate that he’s still one of the better players on the field every week.
Don’t blame him for this. Don’t belittle him because he wants more money or because he still holds himself in the highest regard. Put yourself in his position. How would you feel? Knowing that Father Time is now on your doorstep and is threatening your livelihood is scary. Ask Michael Jordan. Ask Brett Favre. Ask Tiger Woods. There comes a time when you just can’t perform at the level you are used to and it is a blow to you not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well.
Where Heyward finds himself is nothing new to the Pittsburgh Steelers. They’ve seen it many times before. From Terry Bradshaw and Ben Roethlisberger to Troy Polamalu and Franco Harris. The Steelers’ ownership and front office have seen the toll that Father Time takes and they’ve also learned from those moments too.
The late Dan Rooney always regretted the way things ended with Franco. There have been second thoughts about other guys too like Rod Woodson or Alan Faneca or Mike Webster but these things are part of running a business. Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan have both been around long enough to have dealt with these situations before. More importantly however is the guy holding the money. Art Rooney II has been down this road before and he too knows the delicate nature of dealing with a long-time fan favorite in his final years.
Don’t blame Heyward for wanting what he believes he is worth – we all should feel the same way quite frankly – because he knows the end is near. Whether both sides can come to an amicable solution will be in the eye of the beholder but one thing is for certain; there is nothing you can do about Father Time’s arrival. He is most definitely coming but Heyward and the Steelers’ front office likely don’t agree on the exact date.