Steelers DL Cam Heyward & GM Omar Khan aren’t exactly seeing eye to eye on contract talks

Despite having more than a few players searching for new deals, everyone was present on day one of the 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers training camp.

That included team captain and decorated defender Cam Heyward, who not only showed up to camp but participated during practice despite being vocal all off-season about a new deal.

Yet, when he and GM Omar Khan spoke after practice, they weren't exactly singing the same tune, with Heyward pessimistic, and Khan all but confirming Heyward is going to retire a Steeler.

Heyward Pessimistic, Khan Optimistic

"Am I Confident? I don’t like to go either way with that because then you get your hopes up and then something doesn’t happen,” Heyward told The Athletic's Mike DeFabo when asked about getting a deal done. “I’m just going to focus on being the best player that I can be and controlling what I can control and being locked into this team. I keep saying it. This team needs my leadership, my production, and I look forward to doing that.”

For what it's worth, while Heyward has openly flirted with the idea of playing for other teams , he's made it clear that he wants to retire as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

And while he came off as pessimistic regarding his future in that statement, it was GM Omar Khan who gave Steelers fans a sigh of relief regarding the relationship between Heyward and Pittsburgh.

“I think Cam’s got a lot of football ahead of him still,” Khan said. “I’ll leave it at this: I expect him to be here for years to come.”

Now Khan also emphasized that no trades or extensions are imminent, but with the start of the season noted as the Steelers' self-imposed deadline, there is still some breathing room for Pittsburgh to get deals done with Heyward, Harris, and Freiermuth, all the while monitoring the WR market for a trade.

"I don't wanna say how likely something is 'cause you just never know," Heyward told Jim Rome of The Jim Rome Show when asked about his contract situation. "Obviously, I would love to be a Pittsburgh Steeler for the rest of my career. Getting a contract would lay claim to that. My goal is to be a Pittsburgh Steeler this year and have a good year to hopefully come back and play more games with them...

"...Obviously, I'd like to be in Pittsburgh, but if it comes to it, I will play in another city."

Heyward in anything other than the Black and Gold doesn't sit right with the organization, and I expect him to be awarded with a new deal.

Related: Steelers' George Pickens gets frustrated with new WR coach after heated exchange during practice