Sunday’s Steelers-Falcons game held a special meaning for the Heyward family. Against their late father Craig “Ironhead” Heyward’s team, Connor Heyward scored his first NFL touchdown and older brother Cam was his usual dominant self, firing Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota to set up the drive that ended in Connor’s touchdown. The Steelers won 19-16, but for the Heyward brothers, the game meant much more than just the final score.
Craig Heyward, a bruised fullback who played for the Saints, Bears, Rams and Colts as well as the Falcons, had the best season of his 11-year career in Atlanta in 1995. He was named to the Pro Bowl for a season in which he rushed for 1,083 yards and six touchdowns, and also received a total of 350 yards with two touchdowns. Heyward died of an inoperable brain tumor in 2006 at the age of 39. He is buried in Gwinnett Memorial Park in Lawrenceville, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta.
After the game, Cam Heyward, dressed in his father’s old Falcons jersey, took the stage and shared a short story about how he and Connor visited their father’s grave before the game.
“We have to share a moment with Dad, so I was pretty emotional when he got the touchdown,” said Cam Heyward. “I don’t like being Mr. Soppy, but that really hit me. Luckily there wasn’t a camera on me because I was a mess.”
Michigan State rookie Connor Heyward scored on a 17-yard pass to put Pittsburgh up 13–3. Connor also scored a touchdown the last time he played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium when Michigan State defeated Pitt in the 2021 Peach Bowl last December.
In a bit of heartwarming synchronicity, Connor Heyward’s first touchdown happened in almost exactly the same way as his father’s:
With the win, the young Steelers improved to 5-7, off playoff pace but still better than several of their more experienced rivals.
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Contact Jay Busbee at [email protected] or on Twitter at @jaybusbee.
