NFL, American Football Herren, USA Buffalo Bills at Pittsburgh Steelers Nov 30, 2025 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward 97 warms up for a game against the Buffalo Bills at Acrisure Stadium. Pittsburgh Acrisure Stadium Pennsylvania USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xBarryxReegerx 20251130_tcs_ii9_187

Jul 28, 2026, 11:30 AM CUT

Ex-Browns All-Pro gets honest over AFC rival fighting Father Time

Age has never been kind to NFL defensive tackles, yet Cam Heyward keeps making it irrelevant. After landing Second-Team All-Pro honors at 36, the Pittsburgh Steelers captain enters Year 16 with another uphill climb ahead, and even one of his fiercest rivals is backing him.

Recently, former Cleveland Browns guard Joel Bitonio, who retired this offseason after 12 seasons, joined Ryan Ripken's YouTube channel and reflected on what his rivalry with Cam Heyward meant.

"I wouldn't call it a beef, but I battled against Cam Heyward a bunch," Bitonio said on Ryan Ripken's YouTube channel. "I probably played him the most out of any player in the NFL. It was always a battle.”

DETROIT, MI - DECEMBER 21: Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers 8 and Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward 97 walk off of the field following their controversial 29-24 victory over the Detroit Lions in the game on Sunday December 21, 2025 at Ford Field in Detroit, MI. Photo by Steven King/Icon Sportswire NFL, American Football Herren, USA DEC 21 Steelers at Lions EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2582025122103346

Cam Heyward and Joel Bitonio shared one of the AFC North's most underrated rivalries. Across 15 meetings, they combined for 14 Pro Bowls and six All-Pro selections. So when Bitonio sat down with Ryan Ripken's YouTube channel, he had nothing but praise for Heyward.

"I knew what he did good; he knew what I did well. There were just those battles. You see it on the schedule; it was one of those things you look at like, 'Alright, we've got Pittsburgh twice a year,” said Bitonio.

Even though Cam Heyward's NFL journey began three years before Joel Bitonio's, their careers largely overlapped, leading to numerous hard-fought battles.

In the end, Bitonio had the last laugh, closing the rivalry with a victory over Heyward in their final meeting.

Their rivalry was legendary, to say the least. As the quarterbacks battled on the scoreboard, they waged a war of their own in the trenches. And when Bitonio retired, Heyward had nothing but respect for his longtime rival.

Cam Heyward has one final message for longtime rival Joel Bitonio

Fifteen battles, countless yards and tackles later, when Joel Bitonio retired, Cam Heyward had nothing but praise for his longtime rival, saying he always made sure they both kept improving.

"Joel has always been one of those guys that I’ve had a lot [of] respect for,” Heyward told Cleveland.com in an email response. “He’s a guy who is consistent, and there’s nothing fooling him because we’ve had our shares of battles. He made me better and made me always check what I was doing.”

Bitonio wrapped up his career as one of the NFL’s most decorated guards. He earned seven Pro Bowl selections, two first-team All-Pro honors, and three second-team All-Pro nods.

His rival, Cam Heyward, boasts an equally impressive résumé, earning seven Pro Bowl selections, four first-team All-Pro honors, and two second-team All-Pro nods.

After more than a decade, their rivalry ended on a respectful note. With Joel Bitonio retiring in 2026 and Cam Heyward entering what could be his final NFL season, there's a good chance their on-field battles are officially over.

Do you think Cam Heyward has another All-Pro season left in the tank? Let us know in the comments!

Written by

Suryakant Das

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore