Cam Heyward Media Availability (Sept. 11) | Pittsburgh Steelers

Cam Heyward Media Availability (Sept. 11) | Pittsburgh Steelers

Kim, you’ve had a chance to go back and look at the tape from last weekend. What needs to be shored up on the defense? Uh, you know, one, we got to get off blocks. Um, we got to be more sound in our our stance and our alignments. Um, you know, and I I think, uh, we have to understand how people are going to attack us. Um, you know, we we put some stuff out there that’s unacceptable, but uh, you know, we have to clean it up on Sunday. Cam, you guys spent a lot of time and effort as an organization from the draft, free agency. Everything kind of since the Ravens game was the run defense got to be better, the run defense got to be better and it wasn’t better, right? Is that concerning, frustrating, curious? Um, you know, I don’t think it’s it’s done just in one game, but um yeah, we got an answer for that. Um guys got to get off blocks um you know, up front. Uh if we get double, we still have to maintain our our our gaps. Um and everybody has an assignment. Uh you know, run defense isn’t just, you know, an upfront, you know, job. It’s, you know, from the back end perspective. Um it all works together. Um and we can’t make excuses for it, but we got to be better. Cam, is it just physicality? Is that the main thing? Like what do you look at when you see physicality? We could be a lot better. Um I’m not shying away from that. I think um just, you know, uh being accountable too. Um if you’re have to be in the B gap, you got to be in the B gap. If you have to be um you know, if you get a double, it doesn’t matter that you’re getting the double, but that means somebody else is free. Uh and you know, when we’ve been at our best, it’s multiple guys either defeating their blocks or just maintaining their games. You guys are coming off a really physical training camp. Why do you think that physicality necessarily translate over to week one of the regular season? Um, I don’t have a concrete answer to that. Um, all I can try to do is be a better me and a better uh player. Uh, I think, you know, you win those type of games and, you know, it’s easy to just say, oh, you know, close the book. But I think our perspective is we can be a lot better. Uh, and um, we just got to find ways to win. Yeah, how relieved are you get the contract situation taking care of satisfied? Um I’m I’m only realizing how more I’m relieved just because I’m sleeping a lot better. But uh you know I think um glad to put that behind us. Um you know glad I could just focus on football um and you know go out there and earn it. You talked about anticipation getting part of being better against double teams and what offensive line they’re trying to do against you. What can you guys do, especially with the younger guys on your better anticipate? Anticipation is one thing, you know, play awareness, uh, understanding what type of blocks you’re going to get in certain schemes. Um, but I also think just using your hands. Um, you know, it’s an un, you know, it’s not talked about enough. A lot of guys think it’s just go up field, play with your shoulders. I think sometimes it needs to be an emphasis on using your hands so you can get off blocks, so you can, you know, transfer power from another guy. And so all those things come into play, but uh you know, we got to be better all the way around. Is that something Carl has emphasized with you guys this week, especially on film and out in practice? Yeah. Um you know, I think understanding that, you know, there’s plays to be made and everybody can be thirsty about making those plays, but I think also um you know, you maintain your gap and you set that line of scrimmage and you set an edge. Um we’re a much better defense when you do that. Cam mentioned sleepless nights. What was your reaction to some of the social media reaction to it? Um to to the like their reaction to it getting done to it the whole thing from wanting something more to your contract. It it’s a business. Um you know, everybody’s entitled their their opinion. Um you know, things might get out there that aren’t true or, you know, not what I’m looking for, but um you know, um it is what it is. Um, you know, I can only let my play be for it. Um, and going forward, that’s all I’m going to do. So, you will play for free of any concern of anything else but playing. That’s all I’m worried about. What you were looking for the result of it? Is it what you wanted? Hey, hi there. My goodness. The result. Yeah. Was it what you were looking for? Was it what you wanted? Was the whole process worth it for you in the end? You know, I think it it’s it has to be a compromise on both sides. Um, you know, I understand they don’t normally do it and all I’m asking for is the opportunity to go out and earn it. Um, and you know, that’s just what I want to do. We’ve seen stuff about the incentives in that pack, including winning a playoff game. How much more motivating is I know you’re a motivated person in general, but how much more motivating is something like that for you? It doesn’t motivate me anymore. Um, you know, the the goal is not to just win a playoff game, to win a Super Bowl. So, um, it’s just more icing on the cake the way I look at it. The new Michigan guy, do you know him from anywhere? And how much can he help the defense? Um, you know, Pepper’s got to see him, you know, when he was with New England, when he was with, uh, Cleveland. Uh, I just think, um, you know, he he plays fast, he plays downhill, and we got to be a lot better with him. There’s been a lot of questions about the nose tackle. He’s a smaller, quicker guy. What do you think he brings as a nose that benefits you guys’ defense? He’s athletic. Uh, you know, I think he can get up field very fast. Um, you know, he has a good um, you know, uh, chop and, you know, then, um, you know, I I just think he he brings, you know, he’s very similar to how, uh, Javon Hardra used to play. Uh, not always the biggest stature, but, you know, can get to a spot quick. Um, and, you know, he’s going to be a great player. Uh, you know, I have no doubt in my mind that he’s going to be um a nose we can depend on and he can also rush a pass. So having that type of flexibility at that position is

Cam Heyward spoke to the media on Thursday, Sept. 11 ahead of the Steelers Week 2 game against the Seahawks

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