Steelers DL Cameron Heyward To Miss Eight Weeks Following Groin Surgery

Update: 

Gerry Dulac reports Steelers DL Cameron Heyward will have surgery to repair his injured groin this week and will miss up to eight weeks. 

That confirms an earlier report that Heyward will be placed on injured reserve as he recovers. He’ll be eligible to return after four games. 

According to Mike Garafolo, Steelers DL Cameron Heyward is likely going to be placed on injured reserve with a groin injury picked up in Week 1. 

That would knock Heyward out for a minimum of four games and Garafolo adds Heyward is considering surgery, which could sideline him longer. 

It’s a big loss for Pittsburgh, as Heyward is one of their best defensive players and a leader on that side of the ball. 

Heyward, 34, is a former first-round pick of the Steelers back in 2011. He was entering the final year of his six-year, $59.2 million contract that included $15 million guaranteed when he signed a four-year, $71.4 million extension in 2020.

He’s due base salaries of $15.85 million and $16 million over the final two years of the deal. 

In 2022, Heyward started all 17 games for the Steelers and recorded 74 total tackles, 10.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one recovery and four pass defenses. Pro Football Focus had him rated as the No. 5 interior defender out of 127 qualifying players.