PITTSBURGH — Cam Heyward has been a cornerstone of the Pittsburgh Steelers defense since being drafted in 2011. While fans know him best in black and gold, he wasn’t the only team eyeing the Ohio State standout with the 31st pick that year.
Bill Belichick, former head coach of the New England Patriots, revealed that the Patriots had considered trading up from their 33rd spot to select Heyward.
“Hey Cam, I think back to 2011, man, we almost had you with our first pick in the second round, but you went 31st, and we couldn’t trade up to get you. What a career you’ve had,” Belichick said. “You’ve had a tremendous career.”
Instead, New England picked Ras-I Dowling, who played only two seasons with the team, starting twice and appearing in nine games as a defensive back.
Meanwhile, Heyward has thrived in Pittsburgh, earning 3 First Team All-Pro selections, one Second Team All-Pro, a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award, and 6 Pro Bowl appearances. He signed a three-year, $45 million extension in September, keeping him with the Steelers until 2026.
Despite missing out on Heyward, the Patriots weren’t left empty-handed. In 2012, they drafted Chandler Jones, who would go on to record 211 tackles and 36 sacks over four seasons with New England.
With Heyward potentially heading to the Hall of Fame, Steelers fans can be thankful that he ended up in Pittsburgh, rather than playing for their rivals in New England.
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