Steelers defensive lineman Cam Heyward will be in the building when his father, Craig “Ironhead” Heyward, is inducted into Pitt’s Hall of Fame this year. It’s a happy coincidence for Heyward that he plays at Heinz Field, which the Steelers share with Pitt, where his father was one of the biggest stars in college football in the 1980s.
Heyward has few memories of his father playing, as he was 9 when his dad retired from the NFL. But he said today that it’s going to be a thrill to be there for his dad’s enshrinement.
“It’s unbelievable. Not being able to see my dad play . . . I’ve got a couple YouTube clips of him here and there, and he was a terror on the field. He left a lasting impact on football in the city of Pittsburgh,” Heyward told Andrew Siciliano on NFL Network.
Ironhead Heyward died of cancer in 2006 at the age of 39, and Cam Heyward is glad to see how many people still remember his dad.
“He has a legacy that will live on and I’m happy to see him go in,” he said.
The Pitt Hall of Fame induction ceremony takes place on Saturday, October 17, when Pitt hosts Notre Dame at Heinz Field, and the Steelers host the Browns there the next day.