Steelers Name Harris, Heyward, Killebrew Trubisky, Watt Team Captains

The Pittsburgh Steelers named Najee Harris, Cam Heyward, Miles Killebrew, Mitch Trubisky and T.J. Watt as team captains for the 2022 season on Monday.

Heyward will serve as captain for the eighth consecutive season, while Watt will be captain for the second time. He was also a captain in 2020.

It is the first season as captain for all of the other three. Harris and Trubisky will replace Ben Roethlisberger, who was the team’s lone offensive captain in 2021. Trubisky is the first first-year Steelers player to be named captain under head coach Mike Tomlin and the first quarterback other than Roethlisberger to captain the Steelers since Tommy Maddox in 2004.

Harris is also the first running back to be named captain under Tomlin’s tenure and the first since Jerome Bettis was captain in 2002. Head coach Mike Tomlin said this offseason that he was working on enhancing Harris’ leadership role with the team.

“Right now, a little side project that I’m on is I’m fostering the growth and development of leadership,” Tomlin said on the Pivot Podcast. “I’m bridging the transitional leadership relationship between Cam Heyward and Najee. Like, Najee is a leader. He was a born leader. He’s got good football morals. He sees the game the way we see the game.”

Killebrew is in his second season with the Steelers and will be a team captain for the first time. He replaces Derek Watt, who was the special teams captain in 2021. Kicker Chris Boswell was a captain in 2018.

Tomlin did not address the media after the captaincy announcement. He is scheduled to

STEELERS TEAM CAPTAINS SINCE 1998

2022: QB Mitch Trubisky, RB Najee Harris, DL Cam Heyward, OLB T.J. Watt, ST Miles Killebrew

2021: QB Ben Roethlisberger, DL Cam Heyward, ST Derek Watt

2020: QB Ben Roethlisberger, C Maurkice Pouncey, DE Cam Heyward, OLB T.J. Watt, ST Jordan Dangerfield

2019: QB Ben Roethlisberger, C Maurkice Pouncey, DE Cam Heyward, ST Roosevelt Nix

2018: QB Ben Roethlisberger, C Maurkice Pouncey, DE Cam Heyward, K Chris Boswell

2017: QB Ben Roethlisberger, DE Cam Heyward

2016: QB Ben Roethlisberger, DE Cam Heyward, CB William Gay, ST Robert Golden

2015: QB Ben Roethlisberger, DE Cam Heyward, CB William Gay, ST Robert Golden

2014: QB Ben Roethlisberger, SS Troy Polamalu, ST Robert Golden, K Shaun Suisham

2013: QB Ben Roethlisberger, C Maurkice Pouncey, FS Ryan Clark, DE Brett Keisel

2012: QB Ben Roethlisberger, DE Brett Keisel

2011: QB Ben Roethlisberger, WR Hines Ward, ILB James Farrior, ST Arnaz Battle

2010: TE Heath Miller, WR Hines Ward, ILB James Farrior, ST Keyaron Fox

2009: QB Ben Roethlisberger, WR Hines Ward, ILB James Farrior, OLB James Harrison, ST Keyaron Fox, K Jeff Reed

2008: QB Ben Roethlisberger, WR Hines Ward, ILB James Farrior, K Jeff Reed

2007: WR Hines Ward, ILB James Farrior, ST James Harrison, ST Clint Kriewaldt

2006: G Alan Faneca, WR Hines Ward, ILB James Farrior, OLB Joey Porter, ST Clint Kriewaldt, ST Sean Morey

2005: G Alan Faneca, WR Hines Ward, ILB James Farrior, OLB Joey Porter, ST Chidi Iwuoma, ST Sean Morey

2004: G Alan Faneca, QB Tommy Maddox, ILB James Farrior, OLB Joey Porter, ST Chidi Iwuoma, ST Clint Kriewaldt

2003: QB Tommy Maddox, OLB Jason Gildon, OLB Joey Porter, ST Clark Haggans

2002: RB Jerome Bettis, OLB Jason Gildon, SS Lee Flowers, ST John Fiala

2001: RB Jerome Bettis, OLB Jason Gildon, ST John Fiala

2000: C Dermontti Dawson, ILB Levon Kirkland, ST John Fiala

1999: C Dermontti Dawson, ILB Levon Kirkland, ST John Fiala, ST Chris Oldham

1998: C Dermontti Dawson, ILB Levon Kirkland, ST Fred McAfee