Steelers defensive tackle Cam Heyward is in his 16th season, making him the team's longest-tenured player in 2026. Pittsburgh chose him in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. After Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin stepped down in January, the 37-year-old found himself playing under a new head coach for the first time in his NFL career. Tomlin continues to help the Steelers defense, even though he’s no longer coaching the team.
On Tuesday’s episode of his Not Just Football podcast, Heyward revealed that Tomlin is helping key Steelers defensive players in 2026 through a group chat. He remarked, “He’s been texting me all season long.” The former Buckeye added, “Week in and week out, about different defensive linemen. Who we’re about to play. It’s me and TJ Watt together. There’s a crazy group chat going on right now.”
Tomlin said the group chat is a way for him to keep showing support for Heyward and Watt, even though the team is now under a new coaching staff. He explained, “Our relationships are real. It doesn’t have anything to do with the jobs that we hold. I love these dudes, man. I care about these dudes, and I want to see them successful; and so, sometimes wanting to see them successful and saying some things that aren’t necessarily nice, but I’m hoping they’re getting it from somewhere else.”
Tomlin coached the Steelers for 19 seasons. The William & Mary alumnus never had a losing season. His overall regular-season record is 193-114-2. He’s tied with former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick for the second-most consecutive winning seasons. Beyond the numbers, Tomlin established a culture of accountability, resilience, and consistency in Pittsburgh, becoming the steady voice of leadership behind one of the NFL’s most enduring franchises.
The Steelers made two Super Bowl appearances under Tomlin. They defeated the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII. They lost to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV. Tomlin held the record for the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl until Sean McVay in 2022. The 54-year-old is tied with former Steelers head coach Chuck Noll for the most regular-season wins in franchise history. Both former Steelers coaches are also tied for the ninth-most regular-season head-coaching wins in NFL history.
