With strong NFL fan support comes high viewership and lots of money, which is why the salary cap keeps increasing every year.
Players are aware of how much money their team makes, and they want to make sure they’re getting their fair share.
This has led to holdouts, forcing teams to decide if they’re willing to let their best players be sidelined over contract disputes.
Cam Heyward is currently in the middle of one with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
A defensive lineman who is coming off another strong season, Heyward recently said that he is extremely disappointed with how the organization has devalued him, at least in his eyes.
“I’m looking to be valued. … I know what I bring to this team and what I’m capable of on and off the field. It’s hard for me, after the year I’ve had, to justify playing at the number I’m playing at,” Heyward said, via Brooke Pryor of ESPN.
Cam Heyward: “I’m looking to be valued. … I know what I bring to this team and what I’m capable of on and off the field. It’s hard for me, after the year I’ve had, to justify playing at the number I’m playing at.” pic.twitter.com/PK5vK14OUi
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) August 11, 2025
Heyward believes his strong 2024 campaign was worthy of a larger contract heading into the 2025 season, but the team has yet to respond with a new deal.
Set to make $14.75 million this season, he’s more than willing to sit out for them to get the message.
This will be an interesting situation to monitor leading up to Week 1, as Heyward is a key cog of their defensive line, and missing him for any amount of time could lead to a slow start.
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