- Nov 2, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Connor Heyward (83) runs after a catch against the Tennessee Titans during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
An analyst blasted this Pittsburgh Steelers tight end even after he hauled in a touchdown during the team’s Week 6 win over the Cleveland Browns.
Even after scoring his first touchdown of the season in the team’s Week 6 win over the Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Connor Heyward still caught some flack from an analyst.
Mark Madden Blasts Heyward
Mark Madden, a radio host on 105.9 The X who also works for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, quickly headed to X and threw some shade at Heyward despite the fact that he put six points up on the board for the Steelers.
“Not often the mascot scores a touchdown,” Madden wrote on X.
Madden’s Prior Criticism of Heyward
Calling Heyward the Steelers’ “mascot” has become somewhat commonplace for Madden, as he referred to the fourth-year player in that manner after he received a fine for a late hit in Week 1 against the New York Jets by writing, “Biggest fine ever for a mascot,” on X.
During this past offseason, Madden also responded to tweets about Heyward by saying that he’s “not a legit NFLer” and a “mascott nepo baby” due to the presence of his brother, All-Pro defensive lineman Cameron, on Pittsburgh’s roster.
- Nov 12, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Connor Heyward (83) against the Green Bay Packers during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images / Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images
Heyward’s TD vs. Cleveland
Heyward had taken just 30 offensive snaps over the Steelers’ first four games of the season behind fellow tight ends Pat Freiermuth, Jonnu Smith and Darnell Washington. Furthermore, Heyward came into the day with just one catch for six yards on the year.
His usage in terms of reps didn’t go up against Cleveland, as he took only six on offense according to Pro Football Focus, but he still found a way to make an impact over that small sample size.
On a 2nd-and-9 in the red zone from the Browns’ 12-yard line, Heyward settled in the middle of the end zone and followed a cue to move to his right from Aaron Rodgers while the latter was on the run.
Rodgers’ cross-body attempt proved fruitful, as Heyward secured the ball and officially recorded a touchdown to put the Steelers up 16-3 after Boswell converted the extra point try.
Heyward’s Future Outlook
Heyward, who was selected by Pittsburgh with the No. 208 overall pick in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the current season ends.
After playing a combined 577 offensive snaps over his first two years with the team, however, he logged just 207 in 2024 and is on pace for a career-low in that category this season.
Heyward has remained a staple of Pittsburgh’s special teams unit, where he certainly provides value, but it’s unclear if he truly has a future with the organization beyond this season.
