There's a sense of pressure for Connor Heyward that has come from his last name and the position he plays.
His father is late fullback Craig "Ironhead" Heyward, the 1988 first-round pick who played 11 seasons in the NFL. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1995 as an Atlanta Falcon after totaling 1,433 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns.
Connor's older brother, Cameron Heyward, is heading into his 16th season playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers – the team that also drafted Connor in 2022. With 477 solo tackles and 92 quarterback sacks in his career, Cameron is a four-time All-Pro, seven-time Pro Bowler and 2023 Walter Payton Man of the Year recipient.
So yeah, that's what's Connor has to live up to.
"I know every time I step on the field they're saying, 'That's Ironhead's kid' or 'That's Cam Heyward's little brother' and that's something that I go out there and I remember," Connor Heyward said. "I play with a little edge because I'm undersized. ... You have to play with an edge and I feel that's what gotten me to this point. Just playing hard, playing until the whistle is blown and just doing your job."
"Both of them being great players, not just OK players, people that are the best at their game, I know what they do and I know what it takes," he added of his father and brother. "I have seen all the work they've put in and I know what it's going to take to get there, but I want to be better than them as well."
Heyward was an H-back at Michigan State and recorded 11 total touchdowns in college. With his 6-foot, 230-pound frame, he transitioned over to fullback after being drafted. In his time with the Steelers, he was utilized in a multitude of ways, doing more than just blocking as he notched five total touchdowns (three receiving, two rushing).
Per Next Gen Stats, Klint Kubiak had two or more running backs on the field for 25.4 percent of total snaps. His use of 20-23 personnel was the seventh-highest in the league with a 42.5 percent success rate.
To strip down the football mumbo jumbo, Kubiak is still a fan of using the traditional fullback in his scheme.
"Once Coach [Kubiak] called me and then talked to the GM [John Spytek], it was like, 'This is where I need to be,'" Heyward said. "And they talked about how they would use me, and how I fit this offense and what he did in Seattle and what he did in New Orleans."
"I know being a fullback, you have to do the dirty work," he added. "I know I'm a versatile piece on offense, whether that's catching the ball, blocking, sliding back or having an [isolation] on a linebacker. I feel like I can do a lot and this offense is really going to be able to show that."
The fullback also adds value to the Raiders on special teams with 28 total tackles and 1,124 special teams snaps in four seasons played.
"No matter what you play on special teams, it takes a mentality," he said. "It takes fundamentals, it takes everybody being on the same page and that's what people sometimes don't understand. Everybody has to be on the same page whether that's the cadence, punt direction, kick direction, being in the correct lane. ... It's something I'll always want to do for the rest of my career."
Along with his expanded role, he's also looking forward to reuniting with free agent signing Jalen Nailor, as the two were teammates at Michigan State from 2018-2021.
And to state the obvious, the ability to create his own legacy is equally enticing.
"Going back to Pittsburgh, being drafted there where my entire family is from, it was home and I kind of lived in a bubble," he said. "And I feel like I kind of have to get uncomfortable and me coming out here is definitely uncomfortable, but I'm excited about it."
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View photos from the arrival of the Las Vegas Raiders' 2026 free agency class at headquarters.
Kicker Matt Gay signs a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Kicker Matt Gay signs a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Linebacker Nakobe Dean signs a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Linebacker Nakobe Dean signs a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Center Tyler Linderbaum arrives at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Center Tyler Linderbaum arrives at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Center Tyler Linderbaum arrives at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Defensive end Kwity Paye arrives at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Linebacker Quay Walker arrives at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Wide receiver Jalen Nailor arrives at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Wide receiver Jalen Nailor arrives at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Center Tyler Linderbaum signs a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Center Tyler Linderbaum with General Manager John Spytek after signing a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Wide receiver Jalen Nailor signs a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Wide receiver Jalen Nailor signs a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Wide receiver Jalen Nailor with General Manager John Spytek after signing a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Defensive end Kwity Paye signs a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Defensive end Kwity Paye with General Manager John Spytek after signing a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Linebacker Quay Walker signs a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Linebacker Quay Walker signs a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Linebacker Quay Walker with General Manager John Spytek after signing a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Defensive end Kwity Paye before a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Wide receiver Jalen Nailor before a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Center Tyler Linderbaum during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Wide receiver Jalen Nailor during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Wide receiver Jalen Nailor during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Linebacker Quay Walker during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Linebacker Quay Walker during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Center Tyler Linderbaum during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Center Tyler Linderbaum during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Defensive end Kwity Paye during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
The Las Vegas Raiders 2026 free agency class during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Defensive end Kwity Paye during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Wide receiver Jalen Nailor during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Linebacker Quay Walker during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Linebacker Quay Walker during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Members of the Las Vegas Raiders 2026 free agency class during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Wide receiver Jalen Nailor during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Center Tyler Linderbaum during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
Members of the Las Vegas Raiders 2026 free agency class during a press conference at Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters.
