Cameron Heyward was in tears discussing how his brother’s Steelers TD honored their late father
Pittsburgh Steelers veteran defensive lineman Cameron Heyward and rookie tight end Connor Heyward had a lot to be proud of during their team’s 19-16 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
The Heyward brothers both made impact plays during the victory. Connor Heyward scored his first NFL touchdown on a pass from Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett, and Cameron Heyward had a sack and two solo tackles.
The game was uniquely special for the Heywards because their late father, former NFL fullback Craig Heyward, played for the Falcons from 1994-96. The Heyward brothers also both played high school football at Peachtree Ridge in Suwanee, Georgia. It was a powerful homecoming for the duo, who visited their father's grave the morning before taking the field.
After the game, Cameron Heyward wore his father’s Falcons jersey and talked about the impact of his younger brother’s touchdown.
"I was pretty emotional when he got the touchdown," he said, holding back tears. "I don't like to be Mister Sappy, but that like really hit me. Luckily, there wasn't a camera on me 'cause I was a mess."
Cameron Heyward and Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin also shared a cool moment after the game centered on the younger brother's big TD.
While it’s easy to get caught up with the Xs and Os, the NFL is and has always been much bigger than the final box score.
Sunday was surely an incredibly powerful day for the Heyward family and another reminder of how the game can collide with its players in the most unexpected, human ways.