Cam Heyward Makes Steelers History Against Giants

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers have fielded more Hall of Fame players than almost any other team in the NFL. Each year a new class is inducted in Canton, Ohio, and in likely just under a decade, Steelers veteran defensive tackle Cam Heyward will find himself enshrined there.

On Monday Night Football against the New York Giants, Heyward will play his 202nd game as a Pittsburgh Steeler. Only six Steelers sit inside the 200-game club. After surpassing Mel Blount last Sunday against the New York Jets, Heyward will pass Donnie Shell tonight to become the sole owner of the fourth most games in a Steeler uniform. He’ll now hold the most games of a defender in franchise history.

Ben Roethlisberger unsurprisingly holds the record at 249 — a record that Heyward could only break if he played every remaining game of his recent contract extension and the Steelers got to four playoff games in that span. Carrying the name of Heyward’s father, nicknamed Ironhead’, Heyward has been an ironman his whole career, but even with Heyward’s durability, the veteran defensive tackle will likely end up second.

Not only has Heyward held up for 14 years on the defensive line, but the Pittsburgh-born tackle is still one of the best in the league at age 35. Pro Football Focus ranks Heyward as the No. one defensive tackle this season. Heyward has three sacks and four tackles-for-loss on the season.

Coincidentally, Heyward gets to watch the No. two ranked defensive tackle this season in the Giants’ Dexter Lawrence II tonight. Lawrence II leads the NFL with nine sacks on the season — a number especially impressive considering Lawrence II lines up in the interior rather than on the edge.

On a historic night, Heyward will further cement his Steelers legacy. Adding that the Giants’ offensive line is talking trash to Heyward’s teammate and a top-tier-peer of his on the other sideline, look for Heyward to have a big game.

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