The contract negotiations between defensive lineman Cameron Heyward and the Pittsburgh Steelers are entering the next round.

The Pittsburgh Steelers had actually agreed on a contract extension with star defensive player Heyward last year, but this year the two sides are at odds again.

Heyward’s NFL contract still has two years to run. The former first-round pick of the Steelers will earn $14.75 million in 2025 and $13.45 million in 2026 – but as things stand, none of that is guaranteed.

That is likely to be a key reason for the renewed negotiations.

NBC Sports reports that Heyward has announced that he wants to renegotiate if he performs well: “When I signed the contract, I told them: If I have an All-Pro year, you can count on me coming back,” Heyward said.

“I think everyone laughed a little bit – but in my head, I used that as motivation.”

Heyward demands recognition from Steelers

His current contract earns him an average of $14.5 million per year – 22nd among defensive tackles and 36th among all defensive linemen.

However, his performances show that he deserves more in terms of performance despite his age: in 2024, Heyward recorded 35 tackles and eight sacks. He was also named to both the Pro Bowl and the First-Team All-Pro again.

“I know what I give to this team and what I’m capable of – on and off the field,” Heyward said.

At the moment, Heyward is one of the players who are not currently playing their full workload as they hope for a new contract.

No agreement has been reached yet – the Steelers start the NFL regular season on September 7.