Cam Heyward on McCarthy and the Bag

Cam Heyward got the contract he wanted from Pittsburgh, and now he is ready to talk about everything else around the league, starting with Mike McCarthy joining the Steelers and Will Anderson Jr. cashing in.

On his own deal, Heyward keeps it simple. He is happy. Ready to focus on ball. The competitive side is what keeps bringing him back, along with the chance to compete for a Super Bowl and build his legacy. He credits Aaron Smith, Brett Keisel, and Casey Hampton for showing him how to be a professional, and he wants to do the same for the younger guys in the room.

On Mike McCarthy coming to Pittsburgh, Heyward delivers the phrase of the segment. Full yinzer. McCarthy, he says, embraced the Steelers tradition and the city of Pittsburgh before most Steelers ever did. He understands ball. He understands what makes a team work. And he is not trying to be Mike Tomlin. He is trying to be Mike McCarthy, building the team his way but still the right way.

Then Rich drops the breaking news. Will Anderson Jr. just signed a three-year extension. Heyward guesses $150 million. The screen shows exactly that. Nailed it. $134 million guaranteed.

Heyward is not surprised the Texans paid him. He has been asking the question for a while about whether Houston could afford Anderson after they paid CJ Stroud. The answer showed up on a contract. Anderson and Danielle Hunter now give Houston one of the most disruptive edge tandems in football, and Heyward makes the case that Anderson is a dog who plays young and plays violent.

Then he corrects Rich on CJ Stroud. Houston has not paid him yet. They picked up his fifth-year option. That is it. Stroud is still not the highest-paid Texan. The highest paid is the guy rushing the quarterback.

Heyward's take on the whole cap conversation is the best line of the hit. The cap isn't real. You can pay whoever you want and make it look like you can. If you want the guy, you pay the guy.

He has not tried that negotiation with the Rooneys. He prefers to rely on how he plays.

Chris Brockman floats a take that Houston should pull the plug on Stroud before he gets a long-term deal, citing Tua in Miami as a cautionary tale. Heyward does not budge. Calls it a wild take. Points out Stroud has been to the playoffs in every year he has started and won a game there every time. Puts Stroud above Tua on the ladder. If you do not have a quarterback in this league, you are fighting uphill for years to come.

Heyward's message is consistent across topics. Pay your people. Keep your quarterback. Respect the work.