For all of Cam Heyward’s accolades as a four-time All-Pro and a franchise cornerstone, he holds another distinction as the longest-tenured leader of the Pittsburgh Steelers defense. Yet, perhaps his most cherished role is the one he plays at home. He’s a husband to Allie and a father to Callen, Chloe, and Caia.
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Like many athletes turned fathers, Heyward recently discovered that his kids don’t always see him through the same heroic lens as the fans.
On the latest episode of Not Just Football with Cam Heyward, the 36-year-old defensive lineman revealed a hilarious exchange with his daughter Chloe that reminded him just how playful kids can be.
“The funniest thing [happened with] my daughter Chloe, she came up to me [when] I was putting on the bench. She was like, ‘Good job, sack man.’ And I was like, what? It kind of threw me for a loop cause I wasn’t expecting her to say that,” Heyward recalled, still amused by the memory.
But this wasn’t where Chloe stopped with her remarks. Much to Heyward’s surprise, his daughter doubled down with playful precision: “She was like, ‘You get sacks.’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, I do,’” he added, laughing.
Heyward’s co-host, Hayden, was quick to catch the cheeky tone. He teased the Steelers veteran that Chloe wasn’t praising him at all. Hayden insisted that Chloe was actually trolling him.
“She’s mocking you… she’s totally mocking you. She’s the world’s largest troll,” Hayden said, pointing out how Chloe has a knack for keeping everyone, including Heyward, on their toes.
The DL ended up agreeing to his co-host, admitting that his daughter’s humor has become a running theme in their household. “She mocks everybody, by the way… she has definitely thrown you under the bus talking about exes… [Sometimes, I’m like] Girl, chill out,” Heyward said, half in disbelief and half in admiration of her quick wit.
While the story gave us fans a lighthearted glimpse into Heyward’s life as a dad, it comes on the heels of a reminder that “sack man” is still very much alive on the field, too.
In Week 3, he delivered a vintage performance against the New England Patriots, recording his first sack of the 2025 season. He also tipped a Drake Maye pass that turned into an interception and later forced a Rhamondre Stevenson fumble at the goal line. Those two big plays swung the momentum in a 21-14 Steelers victory, their first in Foxborough since 2008.
All said and done, the Patriots game also reminded us that at 36, Heyward remains the emotional and physical anchor of the team’s secondary.
So, as the Steelers prepare for their Week 4 clash against the Minnesota Vikings in Dublin, where they enter as slight underdogs by the bookmakers, Mike Tomlin will be happy that his veteran DL and team captain can still turn games on their own.
Pittsburgh will once again look to its “sack man” to steady the ship in a season that already feels full of promise and hope, especially with Aaron Rodgers performing as expected.
