Steelers defensive tackle Cam Heyward has been named the recipient of the 2021 The Chief Award by the Pittsburgh chapter of the Pro Football Writers Association.
The award is given annually to the member of the Steelers organization that “best exemplifies the spirit of cooperation with the media” of team founder Arthur J. Rooney Sr.
Heyward is a three-time winner of The Chief Award, also being honored after the 2014 and 2019 seasons.
Running back Jerome Bettis is the only player to win the award three times, being honored in 1998, 2000 and 2004. Lee Flowers (1999 & 2001), Alan Faneca (2005 & 2007), James Farrior (2009 & 2011) and Ben Roethlisberger (2010 & 2020) have all won the award twice.
Here is the full list of Chief Award winners:
1988 Dan Rooney
1989 Dwayne Woodruff
1990 Merril Hoge
1991 Gerald Williams
1992 Tunch Ilkin
1993 D.J. Johnson
1994 Rod Woodson
1995 Levon Kirkland
1996 Chad Brown
1997 Darren Perry
1998 Jerome Bettis
1999 Lee Flowers
2000 Jerome Bettis
2001 Lee Flowers
2002 Hines Ward
2003 Mike Logan
2004 Jerome Bettis
2005 Alan Faneca
2006 Brett Keisel and Deshea Townsend
2007 Alan Faneca
2008 Ryan Clark
2009 James Farrior
2010 Ben Roethlisberger
2011 James Farrior
2012 Casey Hampton
2013 Ike Taylor
2014 Cameron Heyward
2015 Ramon Foster
2016 Arthur Moats
2017 David DeCastro
2018 Joe Haden
2019 Cameron Heyward
2020 Ben Roethlisberger
2021 Cameron Heyward