Making the Defensive Player of the Year case for Pittsburgh Steelers Dl Cameron Heyward

• Historic production at Cameron Heyward‘s age: His 90.6 grade is the highest ever for any defensive player 35 years or older (min. 300 snaps).

• Elite in multiple departments: Heyward is one of two defenders with a 90.0-plus pass-rushing and 80.0-plus run-defense grade.

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Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

When the Pittsburgh Steelers gave Cameron Heyward a two-year, $29 million extension before the start of the 2024 season, eyebrows were raised. After all, Heyward was coming off a very disappointing 2023 in which he recorded just a 73.1 overall grade, with pass-rushing and run-defense grades below 68.0. On top of that, Heyward was entering his age-35 season after playing only 497 snaps because of a nagging groin injury.

As it turns out, Steelers general manager Omar Khan knew exactly what he was doing in retrospect. Heyward has been flat-out dominant this year, bouncing back in a major way — and making a legitimate case to win Defensive Player of the Year.

Heyward’s 90.6 overall grade is fifth among all defensive players, plus the best among all interior defensive linemen — a position that includes perennial forces in Dexter Lawrence and Chris Jones. Simply viewing Heyward’s elite overall grade doesn’t do it justice: his 90.6 grade is the highest ever for any defensive player 35 years or older. In other words, players are almost never this good this late into their careers.

Cameron Heyward‘s Year-to-Year Improvement

Reaching the 90.0 threshold is impressive enough for any player, but taking a deeper dive into Heyward’s season reveals how he’s played better than ever. Heyward’s 90.0 pass-rushing grade is the highest in his storied 14-year career, as is his 16.2% pass-rush win rate, which ties for the ninth-highest among all defensive players.

Instead of regressing, Heyward is arguably peaking.

What renders Heyward that much more impressive is his down-to-down dominance against either the pass or run. The three-time All-Pro has earned an 80.2 run-defense grade, reaching a number that high for the first time since 2021. In fact, Heyward is one of two NFL defenders to have a 90.0-plus pass-rushing and 80.0-plus run-defense grade, joining Lions safety Brian Branch.

Heyward has victimized even the league’s most seasoned guards on a weekly basis, but he’s really carved out a niche this year by getting his long arms up to disrupt ball accuracy. Heyward’s seven batted passes are the most in the league and tied for the second-most in his career. Those deflections have had tangible impacts on games, whether by generating interceptions or helping Pittsburgh get off the field on third down.

Few would have batted an eye if Heyward were playing only about 50-60% of snaps. Instead, he’s played 71.1% of the Steelers’ defensive snaps, with his 529 snaps ranking 18th among all defensive linemen. It’s not just Heyward’s production when on the field, but the fact he’s able to withstand such a high volume of reps at this age that makes his season so unbelievable. His ability to stay on the field is a critical reason why Pittsburgh ranks fourth in EPA allowed per play.

Admittedly, Heyward ranks only 20th among defensive players in PFF Wins Above Replacement, including behind four other defensive linemen and edge rushers (Aidan Hutchinson, Jones, Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt). Yet the race to win 2024 Defensive Player of the Year doesn’t necessarily boast many clear-cut favorites, making Heyward’s case much more compelling.

Garrett (92.4 pass-rushing grade) is likely the favorite to repeat, while Watt (league-best 92.5 overall grade) has made an impact despite a waning pass-rush win rate. Other candidates would figure to include Trey Hendrickson (59 pressures, 86.4 overall grade), Patrick Surtain II (0.52 WAR), Jonathan Greenard (league-high 60 pressures) and Kerby Joseph (91.1 coverage grade).

Yes, Garrett appears a worthy candidate to take home the hardware for a second straight year. But factoring in his virtually historic combination of age and prowess against both the pass and run, Heyward should receive votes to add another honor to his well-decorated resume — one bordering on Canton.