Connor Heyward, a talented tight end and fullback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, comes from a football family and has been shaped by the legacy of his late father, Craig “Ironhead” Heyward, and the support of his mother, Charlotte Heyward-Blackwell.
Connor Heyward is an American professional football player for the Pittsburgh Steelers, playing as a tight end and fullback.
Born on January 22, 1999, in Duluth, Georgia, he played college football at Michigan State, transitioning from running back to tight end in his senior year.
The Steelers selected Heyward in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. In his rookie season, he recorded 12 receptions for 151 yards and one touchdown.
He scored his first professional touchdown in Week 13 of the 2022 season against the Atlanta Falcons.
Through 2024, Heyward has appeared in 47 NFL games, with 39 receptions for 347 yards and two touchdowns.
Connor Heyward Was Born to Parents Former NFL Player Craig “Ironhead” Heyward and Executive/Realtor Charlotte Heyward!
Connor Heyward, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ tight end and fullback, is the son of Craig “Ironhead” Heyward, a former NFL player, and Charlotte Heyward.
He was raised in a football-centric family, with his father, Craig Heyward, playing as a fullback for several teams, including New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons, St. Louis Rams, and Indianapolis Colts in his 11-year NFL career.
Given his upbringing, it wasn’t surprising for Connor to grow interested and passionate about the sport.
His father, Craig, left behind a powerful legacy as a tough, hard-hitting fullback known for his relentless style of play.
Tragically, Craig passed away in 2006 from a brain tumor, a loss that deeply affected the Heyward family.
Meanwhile, Connor and his older brother, Cameron Heyward, have carried their father’s legacy.
Despite losing their father young, the Heyward brothers have stayed strong and honored his memory.
However, their mother, Charlotte Heyward, has never let them feel the absence of their father’s love with her support and love through thick and thin.
Connor’s mother, Charlotte, is an experienced executive and realtor based in the Greater Atlanta Area.
She is the Executive Director of The Cameron Heyward Foundation, a role she has held since 2015.
She also works as a realtor at Virtual Properties Realty, having been with the company since 2013.
Previously, Charlotte was with Solid Source Realty and The Robinson Realty Group.
She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh and has volunteered with DKMS US since 2013. Her work supports health-related causes through donor recruitment efforts.
With a career spanning over two decades, Charlotte is passionate about making a positive impact in both her professional and volunteer work.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Drafted in 2022, Connor signed a 4-year contract with the Steelers, which includes a signing bonus of $155,224 and a guaranteed amount of the same value.
- His 2024 salary is $985,000, with a cap hit of $1,023,806 for the season, and career earnings total $2.7 million to date.
- Connor’s contract terms also ensure he will be a free agent in 2026, making him an unrestricted free agent (UFA) after the completion of his current deal.