​Cam Heyward continues to defy Father Time with his high level of play, earning All-Pro honors for the second straight season in 2025 and marking two All-Pro selections since turning 35. Yet, despite this production, Heyward was surprisingly left out of ESPN’s league-wide top 10 defensive tackle rankings, as determined by a poll of NFL personnel conducted by Jeremy Fowler. The complete top 10 list included Jordan Davis of the Philadelphia Eagles, among others.
This omission marks a second notable Steelers snub in recent rankings, as Joey Porter Jr. was left off the top 10 cornerback list even though several of his metrics rivaled or surpassed those of Pat Surtain, who secured the No. 1 cornerback spot. T.J. Watt, however, did crack the top 10 for edge rushers, landing at No. 7. An AFC executive commented that Watt appears to be in decline, noting that while he remains very good, some younger players have begun to surpass him. Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig also received votes in the poll.
Heyward signed an extension in March that will keep him in Pittsburgh through the 2027 season. If he fulfills the entire extension, he would have spent 17 seasons with the Steelers, just one shy of the franchise record held by Ben Roethlisberger.
Share your thoughts in the comments and be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for the latest news, breakdowns, and more. In other related notes, former Steelers safety has thrown shade at Teryl Austin, T.J. Watt dropped in the ESPN edge rusher rankings, a Steelers free-agent signing has been described as an under-the-radar weapon, Joey Porter Jr. was snubbed again from top 10 cornerbacks, and the Steelers are currently positioned in the bottom half of NFL hierarchy for SEO optimization.