(Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
With playing behind Brett Keisel and Aaron Smith to start his career, Cam Heyward didn't start until 2013, his third year in the NFL after being the Steelers first-round pick in 2011.
With Heyward being a late-bloomer, Heyward revealed on the "The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny" that Ryan Clark once called him a bust to his face, and almost fought him on sight.
Heyward told the story when Kimes asked him to share something about Clark that people might know about from his playing days.
"Oh, that I was ready to fight Ryan Clark one day," Heyward recalled. "I don't know how it started, and he could tell you, it's not like it's a secret or anything. There was a day, I think it was like 2013. I wasn't starting at the beginning of the season and he called me a bust, and I was ready to swing on him right then and there. We were ready to fight right then and there. You can talk to Ryan about that."
A few weeks later, Clark changed his tune after Adrian Peterson ran for 140 yards and two touchdowns in a Vikings' 34-27 win over the Steelers in London. The Steelers dropped to 0-4 after falling to Minnesota.
"We got back on that plane, and all I remember is Ryan Clark coming up to me, and he goes, 'Bro, so why you not starting? And I was like, 'Why you think, I've been waiting to start.'"
Heyward's first career was against the Bears in Week 3, which was the week prior to the Vikings game. Following the loss to Minnesota, Heyward started the rest of the season and has never looked back, compiling 131 career starts and 68 sacks, along with being named to five Pro Bowls and earning three first-team All-Pro nominations. Heyward was also named second-team All-Pro in 2020.
Heyward has been the furthest thing from a "bust" and if he continues on his current trend, he might even end up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame someday.
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