Overview

• Reports from NFL Network and ESPN say the revision adds roughly $3.2 million in playoff-tied incentives, lifting Heyward’s 2025 upside to about $18 million.
• Heyward will start Sunday against the Jets after days of uncertainty in which he declined to commit to playing without a reworked deal.
• The compromise preserves Pittsburgh’s cap approach by avoiding new guaranteed money, reflecting the team’s rare exception to its policy on in-season talks.
• The veteran staged a training-camp hold-in before returning to full practice participation, with coaches expressing all week that they expected him to play.
• His presence is significant for the opener because rookie Derrick Harmon is out with a knee injury, leaving Heyward central to the defensive front versus New York.