WATCH: Cameron Heyward on Pittsburgh Steelers drafting brother Connor Heyward
Ahead of Saturday’s draft picks, Pittsburgh Steelers star Cameron Heyward spoke about the prospect of his team drafting his brother, Connor Heyward. The Steelers went on to draft Connor Heyward with the 208th overall pick in the sixth round, uniting the brothers on an NFL roster. Heyward said ahead of the pick that if they were united on the Steelers’ roster, “all hell would break loose.”
Heyward spent the past five seasons with the Michigan State Spartans, including his first four as a running back and fullback. He made the transition to tight end in 2021, setting career highs with 35 catches for 326 yards and two touchdowns. His brother, Cameron Heyward, has established himself as a key piece of the Steelers’ defense and will now have a chance to mentor his younger brother as he enters the professional level.
Heyward brothers united by Steelers draft pick
The Steelers are no strangers to having pairs of brothers on their team, as the Heyward brothers are now the third pair on their current roster. TJ Watt and brother Derek Watt, as well as Terrell Edmunds and Trey Edmunds — both are brothers that share the Pittsburgh locker room. One small difference is the other brothers have a third brother on another NFL team — JJ Watt and Tremaine Edmunds.
The NFL has roughly 1,700 active players on their rosters, and having a pair of brothers in that elite club is strange enough. The Steelers having two pairs before selecting Connor Heyward led to NFL Network asking Cameron Heyward what it would mean to him if the Steelers took his brother.
“If he’s drafted by the Steelers, all hell’s gonna break loose,” joked Heyward. “I’m gonna have a lot of fun with him. And my mom’s gonna hate me for that — but if he did, I would be very excited.”
Outside of the guaranteed teasing and big brother bullying that will be waiting for him in Pittsburgh, not many players joining the NFL can rely on that strong of a support network to get them started on the right foot. Connor Heyward will likely hit the ground running with his brother’s mentorship, and the Steelers are hoping they’ve found another potential starter in the family.