"I take pride in it," said Heyward. "But as a heartbeat, you don't have to see me, you've just got to feel me.

"The work's got to be displayed and I want to make sure I do my part."

There is no doubt, Heyward has been felt this year and is absolutely doing his part. He had one of his best regular seasons, showing that there is no slowing down for the 14-year veteran.

"Cam's a heck of a player," said outside linebacker T.J. Watt. "No surprises out of all of us in this locker room because I've seen how much he's worked since I walked in the door here, and I think he's having a heck of a season.

"It seems like he's like wine and he gets better with age."

Heyward turned 35 last May, the second oldest player in the Steelers locker room, behind only quarterback Russell Wilson, who turned 36 in November.

He has heard the jokes from Coach Mike Tomlin, referring to him as the 'old man.' It motivates the heck out of him, gives him a little chip on his shoulder that pushes him every day.

"It's poking and prodding the bear," said Heyward. "The way I look at it is, I'll be the old man if I'm staying upright and delivering. They've got to find something to keep poking and prodding about.

"I love having the chip on my shoulder. I play my best ball when I feel like everybody's against me and everybody's counting me out."

There isn't anybody in the Steelers locker room who has ever counted him out. Last season Heyward had what he described as a disappointing year, appearing in only 11 games as he dealt with a groin injury. He struggled with the injury all season, trying to recover on a weekly basis.

But in 2024, he was stronger than ever, with whispers of Defensive Player of the Year surrounding him.

"It's just impressive to see a guy that's in his 14th season playing at such a high level," said safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. "It's good to have him out there wrecking games like he does."

One of his toughest critics, who doubles as one of his biggest fans, his younger brother Steelers fullback Connor Heyward, loves what he has seen.

"It's not even real sometimes playing with him, but also seeing him play at this level," said Connor Heyward. "The level he is playing at this year, wow.

"I woke up the morning after the second Browns game and saw that he had eight sacks for the year at that point. I was just like, dang. But it just goes to show the work he puts in."

It's work that is raising eyebrows around the NFL, and younger brother is hearing that from others.

"Dirty Red (Tyler Matakevich) and I, we were on the sideline talking during a game," said Connor Heyward. "He was like, 'Connor this is Cam's best year.' And it's not like he was saying that his other years weren't good.

"I'm happy for him. He takes everything seriously like he always does, but just doing it 10 times more. His massages, Pilates, doing a lot of stuff at a higher rate because when you're injured, you've got to do stuff times two.

"He's getting older, but his play is rising. I think he just wants to show everybody that he can play at this level coming off his injury last year and being the leader he is.

"And, he wants to be a leader, but also being a leader that produces. Sometimes there's leaders that don't produce. He's a leader that produces and it means a lot to him still to be able to play this game. He's not just doing it for a check. He loves this game. He wants to win the Super Bowl ultimately.

"He wanted to prove everybody wrong and come back even stronger. This is a league where everybody plays at a high level. There are young guys that are coming in fresh. He wants to keep playing and make his mark and be one of those guys who is a Hall of Famer at the end."

To get to where he is now, though, he has had to make some concessions. And it hasn't been easy for someone like Heyward, who takes pride in setting the example and being one of the hardest workers on the team.

There are days, and they have become more and more frequent, where Heyward is listed on the injury report as did not practice/resting vet.

"I think it's important that he gets the rest," said Fitzpatrick. "It's him listening to his body. People say you have to stay moving to stay young. But at this point you are just trying to get to game day.

"Sometimes practicing can beat you up. He's been doing it for a long time. I don't think a Wednesday practice makes his game that much better."

It's something he fought for a while when Tomlin told him he wouldn't be practicing, but he knows it's best for him and he has finally relented.

"That is a Coach T thing with the rest component," said Heyward. "I've been more open than in years past trying to sustain and trying to stay up and it's paying off. But I had to adjust to that. That was something I wasn't used to.

"I had to switch things up during the week from a preparation standpoint, really hone in on technique on my own or stealing reps during our walkthroughs. Trying to do things on the side because I'm not getting those physical reps.

"I understand when the games are. I'm getting paid for the games, but I'm trying to make sure I sharpen my tool every week.

"My film work has kicked up a lot. I have been taking more out of my walkthroughs, more out of our meetings, and those are the things I've got to hang my hat on right now."

There isn't a day that goes by that Heyward doesn't take a look at the six Super Bowl trophies that welcome every player, coach and staff member as they enter the office area at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.

Heyward can't miss them, as the library where they are immaculately displayed is located right outside the defensive line/defensive team meeting room.

"Every single day when I walk in our meeting room, which is right next to those trophies, I look over at them," said Heyward. "I think that's by design where they are.

"I think you learn to understand the history here, understand that the six trophies represent a lot of blood, sweat and tears that went into winning them."

Heyward has put in his share of blood, sweat and tears through his 14 seasons of wearing the black and gold.

But there is still one thing that is missing. One thing that he is yearning for. One thing that he would give anything for.

Adding another trophy to the display with his name on the side of it.

"Especially at that age where he's done a lot of great things, he's got a lot of accolades, I think the greatest one he wants right now is that Super Bowl," said Ogunjobi. "Football is the ultimate team sport and when you care about the team as much as he does, you see why he would want to get the Super Bowl.

"He has such dedication and a will to work and win. He's always been a player and a person that has a desire to be great. It's less about the accolades and more about his legacy. He takes that very seriously. So just in his work and his approach to how he does certain things, you can feel and see the result of that."

As the Steelers embark on their playoff run, there is nothing he wants more than for it to end hoisting a Lombardi Trophy, a new one for the trophy case that he can look at on a daily basis.

"There's a hunger and starvation there," said Heyward. "That's what you get measured for here, those six Super Bowl trophies. You better be jealous of that. You better be hungry for that, because the history of this organization was made off Super Bowl wins. It's made off guys having deep playoff runs and answering the call."

Heyward is ready to answer the call.

"It pushes me," said Heyward. "Whether it's my kids being bluntly honest and telling me that I don't have one of those or whatever it is. I want to put an exclamation point on my career."

There is no question Heyward is his own worst critic. He wants to play better tomorrow than he did yesterday, and that's something that is always a driving point.

"I've always been a guy that's got something to prove," said Heyward. "I've always been the guy that I need to prove to the masses that I belong and show the job is not finished."

At this point, one would assume that Heyward has proven himself.

There isn't any reason to think otherwise.

Unless you think like Cameron Heyward does.

"No, I haven't proven anything," said Heyward.

And he means it.

"There's a lot more to accomplish," said Heyward. "And my goal is to exceed what everybody else thinks about me."

Those thoughts are pretty high, especially from an organization that signed Heyward to a new three-year contract before the start of this season.

It's a contract that will help him fulfill his desire to be a one-helmet player.

It's not common to spend an entire career with one team, as free agency has players spending their careers with two, three and sometimes even more teams.

Heyward is the exception to the rule.

"It means you're doing a lot of things right," said Fitzpatrick, who started his career with the Miami Dolphins before he was traded to the Steelers. "It means that you're a guy that's just wanted by this program.

"I think that's something a lot of those guys, one helmet guys, pride themselves in for sure."

There is no doubt, it's something Heyward prides himself on. He is happy where he is and had no interest in trying something new.

"The new contract gave me the opportunity," said Heyward. "That was the whole thing with the contract. I just wanted an opportunity to continue to be here.

"I enjoy wearing that emblem on my helmet. I don't want to go anywhere else. I don't want to have a different emblem because there's a lot of pride in what you do.

"If you go somewhere else, you've got to restart, and it takes away from the glory that can come from playing at one place."

That isn't what Heyward wants. What he wants is the Lombardi Trophy that has eluded him so far in his career.

"What I want my legacy to be is the goals people set for me weren't enough to match the goals I set for myself," said Heyward. "And hopefully I hit all my goals before I hang it up.

"And a Super Bowl trophy, that's the goal."