Pittsburgh Steelers Star Cam Heyward Praises ‘Honest’ Quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ Leadership: ‘I Want to Be Coached Hard’

Pittsburgh Steelers veteran Cam Heyward has seen plenty of change over the course of his long NFL career — but strong leadership, he says, never goes out of style.

The defensive star, who has spent his entire career in Pittsburgh, reflects on the Steelers’ season while opening up about his journey managing asthma as a professional athlete.

Heyward, 36, tells OK! that working with quarterback Aaron Rodgers this year has been a seamless experience, praising the 42-year-old’s accountability and approach inside the locker room.

“I don’t think there really is an adjustment,” Heyward says in reference to Rodgers’ signing of a one-year contract with the Pennsylvania-based football team in July 2025. “The great thing about Aaron is he’s been bought in from day one.”

For Heyward, that buy-in starts with honesty.

“His leadership has just been about being accountable and being honest, and I love it,” he reveals. “I want to be coached hard. I want a lot expected out of me, and for teammates to hold you to that. I love that.”

Heyward adds that leadership across the roster will be key as the Steelers continue pushing forward.

“The story’s still being written on this group,” he declares as the team prepares for a playoff run early next year. “Our leadership has got to be a part of that.”

Just like on the football field, Heyward is also tackling his health head-on.

While the famed defensive lineman remains focused on performance, he has spent his life managing asthma — something he’s now speaking openly about in hopes of empowering others.

“Asthma is part of my life,” Heyward candidly states while discussing his recent role in an asthma-awareness campaign encouraging people to better understand their symptoms and treatment options.

He explained that symptoms can fluctuate throughout the year, particularly when training intensifies or illness strikes.

“In the offseason, as you’re ramping up your conditioning, that always plays a big part early,” he said. “I have to listen to my body a little bit more and take a couple more precautions.”

This season, Heyward admits he’s been especially mindful.

“I’m dealing with a little bit of a cold, so I’m dealing with asthma now,” Heyward shares. “I’m on my inhaler. I’m using my nebulizer. I’m talking to my doctors and making sure I’m listening to my body the right way and having the right treatment options given to me.”

Heyward hopes being open about asthma helps eliminate stigma — particularly for young athletes who may feel embarrassed managing their symptoms.

“Superman had his kryptonite, but it didn’t stop him from saving the world,” he reflects. “Asthma can affect our bodies. It can keep you down, but it doesn’t have to be the end all be all.”

Rather than viewing asthma management as a weakness, Heyward sees it as strength.

“I don’t look at it as a bad thing,” he adds. “I look at it almost like a badge. Hey, I’ve got asthma, but I can still kick your butt.”

Diagnosed at just six or seven years old, Heyward has spent decades dealing with multiple asthma triggers.

“I have exercise-induced asthma. I have weather-induced asthma. I have allergy-induced asthma,” he quips. “I run the gamut when it comes to asthma.”

Now a father of three, Heyward — who shares a son, Callen, and two daughters, Chloe and Caia, with his wife, Allie — notes his experience has shaped how he approaches parenting.

“I think it prepared me for being a dad,” he reflects. “I’m always asking, ‘How do you feel? What’s going on? Are you able to breathe?’ You want to push your kids to succeed, but you also want to make sure they’re able to go out there and give it their best shot.”

Heyward believes asthma and other health conditions are often overlooked because symptoms aren’t always visible.

“It’s not right in front of us,” he explains. “You have to ask that person what’s going on and really dive into what’s affecting them.”

That’s why he encourages people living with asthma to learn more about their condition and speak with their doctors. One condition he highlighted is eosinophilic asthma, a common type of severe asthma driven by elevated levels of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell.

“A perfect example is eosinophilic asthma,” Heyward mentions. “The way you test it is just by having a blood test.”

While Heyward does not have eosinophilic asthma himself, he urges anyone experiencing symptoms to educate themselves, understand their triggers and explore treatment options with a medical professional by visiting asthmabehavingbadly.com.

“I hope it helps people understand my experience with asthma,” he said. “And then it empowers them to find the right information — so they or their loved ones are given the opportunity to attack whatever’s going on.”