Cam Heyward, the Steelers’ popular veteran defensive lineman, is known for his many charities, which can be found on his awesome website, The Heyward House. 

Heyward also has his own home, one that’s literal and one that includes his wife and children. As gentle as he is off the field, Heyward probably wouldn’t take too kindly to anyone messing with his home and family.

Fans tend to indirectly do that when they call into talk shows or take to social media and state that a certain player should retire or be cut to save money. It’s the fan’s right to do that, of course (free country and all), but can you blame a player for being sensitive about that and lashing out?

Heyward, who suffered a groin injury in the regular-season opener vs. the 49ers on September 10 and missed a total of six games, didn’t have his best year in 2023. Maybe that’s because he was 34. Maybe that’s because he never fully healed from his injury. At any rate, Heyward recently announced that he had surgery to fix whatever was ailing him last year and hopes to be back to his All-Pro form in 2024 and maybe even a few years beyond that.

Or maybe Heyward is done. Maybe Father Time has finally caught up to him. Perhaps the Steelers should cut ties with Heyward, whose cap hit will be $22 million next year.

It’s hard to say, but Heyward took to social media last week to tell us where he stands on his future and those who want him to walk away from football:

“Funny how you get hurt and kill yourself just to get back to play and not be 100 percent. Now they want you to retire cuz I was hurt all year Atleast I know where y’all stand. Yall quick to forget when I am healthy…. But I look forward to reminding yall”

Heyward Tweeted that on February 23, and this led to varied reactions. Some positive. Some negative. Some people even asked why Heyward would be so sensitive.

Duh!

Gee, I don’t know why Heyward would be so sensitive about people calling for him to either retire or be cut and walk away from the only career he’s ever known (and a lot of money).

Yeah, the fans have a right to say whatever they want (within reason), but Heyward also has a right to state his case. “You never win wars with the fans,” many say. I don’t agree. I have seen plenty of celebrities get the best of fans, especially on social media.

This might shock you, but Steelers fans often look clueless on social media. Either that, or they look like absolutely horrible human beings.

It’s easy to win wars with those types of…well, I guess they’re fans.

At any rate, I’ve never subscribed to this notion that professional athletes should just keep their opinions to themselves, especially when fans are critical of them.

What makes fans so special that they can just say whatever they want without a player defending him or herself?

“Well, we pay their salaries.” No, you don’t, the Steelers do. NBC, CBS, Fox, Amazon and ABC/ESPN do. You won’t even pay for Hulu.

I find it especially irritating when fans are allowed to behave like absolute idiots toward athletes, and the athletes are just expected to take the high road. Why? Most fans are adults. Maybe they should take the high road, themselves, and not act so unhinged on social media. Perhaps some perspective is in order.

It’s only a game, Focker.

At least it’s only a game to you, the fan.

When it comes to someone like Cam Heyward, it’s his entire life.

Don’t be surprised if he gets a little snippy when you ask him to get on with his life’s work.