Cam Heyward enters his 14th season with the Pittsburgh Steelers coming off the least productive campaign of his career.
Heyward didn't see the contract extension he desired after an injury-riddled season and could be headed into his final year with the Steelers. The 35-year-old has heard all the criticism about how he's over the hill and might not have it anymore after a two-sack season.
"I've had to eat (criticism) and absorb it," Heyward said Monday, via . "Everybody's entitled to their opinion, but I want to make their opinion wrong, and I think I just look forward to playing good football."
The five-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro knows well about the glaring hole on his career résumé: He's never helped the Steelers get to a Super Bowl.
"I kind of laugh when people say, 'Oh, this guy deserves to win a Super Bowl or anything,'" he said. "The only way you deserve it is you earn it, and so that's always been my motto and for the guys in the locker room, we got to earn it week in and week out."
Heyward was named a team captain for the 10th time in his career, joining Ben Roethlisberger and Sam Davis as the only Steelers to hold the honor in double-digit seasons.
