The Associated Press announced their All-Pro teams for the 2024 NFL season. The Pittsburgh Steelers had three players selected across the two teams, with Cam Heyward and Chris Boswell earning first-team honors and T.J. Watt getting a nod on the second team. With the honor, Heyward has earned his fifth career All-Pro selection, and it was the fourth time he was selected to the first team. In the process, he has given a major boost to his previously borderline Hall of Fame case.
Cam Heyward Cements Hall of Fame Case with 5th All-Pro
Dominant in Year 14
What makes his dominant 2024 season even more impressive is that Cam Heyward is almost 36 years old and in his 14th NFL season. When Heyward wanted a contract extension prior to this season, many thought Pittsburgh would be crazy to give the extension given Heyward’s age. It did not take him long to prove the doubters wrong. After only playing 11 games last year due to injury, Heyward immediately returned to his usual self, putting together arguably the best season of his career.
On the season, Heyward racked up 71 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, eight sacks, 20 quarterback hits, and an astounding 11 passes defended. For an interior defensive linemen, those are other-worldly numbers. Heyward was so good on the season that he was able to garner the most All-Pro votes of any defensive tackle, even more than Chris Jones, who has widely been considered the NFL’s best interior defender since Aaron Donald retired.
Heyward’s Resume is Hall of Fame Worthy
With his fifth All-Pro selection, Cam Heyward has put a cherry on top of his decorated career. Based on his level of play season, Heyward might not be done racking up the awards. But even if he is done accumulating honors and recognition, Heyward should have a strong enough resume to find himself inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day.
With another selection this year, Heyward has seven Pro Bowl selections to go along with his five All-Pros. He was a recipient of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. Currently, he has 88.5 career sacks and still clearly has some quality football left in the tank. Getting that total up to 100, a great number for a defensive tackle would just make his Hall of Fame case even stronger.
What makes Cam Heyward so great is that he would trade many of these accolades to win a Super Bowl before calling it a career. Pittsburgh is in the playoffs this year but will be fighting an uphill battle to hoist their seventh Lombardi Trophy. They are huge underdogs in the Wild Card round against the Baltimore Ravens. Even if they pull the upset, they’d still likely need to beat the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills to even make the big game.
While that’s not likely to happen, one thing is for sure. Cam Heyward will do everything he can to help the Steelers go on a run. He has done it all season long, and he has done it for going on 15 years now. And that is why he should one day find himself in the Hall of Fame.
Main Image: Barry Reeger – USA Today Sports
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