Steelers' Cam Heyward Not Concerned With 49ers Tying Pittsburgh 'The Goal Is Not To Stay At Six'

Heyward joined Scott Ferrall on the Ferrall Coast To Coast podcast from Las Vegas to talk about how the 2023 season ended for the Steelers and what to expect next. Ferrall mentioned how the 49ers would tie the Steelers with six Super Bowl wins if they defeated the Chiefs on Sunday. Heyward didn't seem to be affected by the 49ers or the prospect of them tying Pittsburgh's total number of Lombardi trophies. Instead, he is looking forward to helping the Steelers claim more in the future.

"It's painful because we're not in the Super Bowl, and I think it would be way better if we are...The goal is not to stay at six, though; the goal is to get to seven, right? You need 10, but you need to start by getting one!"

It's no secret that the Steelers have fallen short of their own standards for quite some time, with their last playoff win coming against the Chiefs during 2016 season. While they may not have enjoyed the expected success in Pittsburgh, the 2023 Steelers pulled off an impressive finish. Heyward has dedicated everything he has in all 13 seasons of his career to get the Steelers back to the Super Bowl, and that desire hasn't diminished one bit.

Steelers Ready To Get Back To Business Under Center

As exciting as the 2023 Steelers' wave of momentum was that got them into the playoffs, celebrating a Wild Card berth and eventual loss can't be sitting right with Pittsburgh fans. Mason Rudolph brought back some much-needed confidence and energy to the squad, but it wasn't enough to help them upset the Bills. Looking ahead to 2024, Pittsburgh knows they need to raise the bar.

While Rudolph was a big catalyst for the Steelers' surge down the stretch, there is no guarantee that he will be in black and gold in 2024. After some rough treatment in Pittsburgh prior to the end of 2023, Rudolph could easily see greener pastures outside the franchise. The reality could be that the 2024 Steelers will be rebuilding their offense and quarterback room. If that turns out to be the case, what will happen to their former first-round pick?

Kenny Pickett was supposed to be the one to carry the team after Ben Roethlisberger's retirement following the 2021 season, but after 25 games, Pickett is still a question mark. An inability to avoid injury and a lack of downfield aggression has made Pickett seem like a risk-averse passer rather than a reliable winner. Whether through free agency or the NFL Draft, Pittsburgh will be aiming to bring in another quarterback to challenge Pickett.

The Steelers saw something they truly desired in Pickett when they invested a first-round pick on him in the 2022 NFL Draft, but that has yet to become fully realized. Pickett has a paltry 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in his NFL career, which is concerning since it shows a lack of production and a fear of taking risks. Perhaps being anointed the starter as a rookie, despite a supposed quarterback competition, didn't do Pickett any favors. If that is the case, a true challenge from another passer could be the push Pickett needs to become the version of himself that the Steelers envisioned.

Who will Mason Rudolph be playing for in 2024? How many touchdowns will Kenny Pickett throw for in 2024?