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PITTSBURGH — If it was up to Cameron Heyward, not only would he play out his contract, which expires after the 2024 season, but he also might play a couple of seasons after that, into his late 30s.

That’s what Heyward’s mind is telling him. His body very well might have a different agenda. It sure did this year, for really the first time in his 13-year career, leaving him questioning whether Monday’s playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills was the final game of his career.

“It’s been a rough season,” the 34-year-old defensive lineman said. “In my heart, I want to play, but you know, it’s been rough.”

Heyward, who turns 35 in March, has never gone that far with his postseason comments before. Standing dejected inside the locker room at the team’s facility on Tuesday, his tone was different.

A handful of times during his borderline Hall of Fame career, Heyward has alluded to the possibility of retirement, but this time was different.

Heyward fought a right groin injury he suffered on the first day of training camp that eventually required surgery, causing him to miss six games, which ultimately led to a sore left groin. Throw in a balky knee and Heyward spent the better part of five-and-half months fighting to feel good enough to get back on the field, often missing practice so he could make it to game day.

Given a 12-week recovery time after surgery, Heyward did it in six weeks, and it cost him. He was a shell of himself once he returned, putting up some of the worst numbers of his career. His two sacks were the fewest since becoming a starter a decade ago, and his three QB hits were a career low. The push he has been known for throughout his career, which helped him earn six consecutive Pro Bowl appearances and four All-Pro selections (three first-team), wasn’t there anymore.

“It was a grind just to get ready for each game,” Heyward said. “I don’t like playing football that way. I don’t ever want to cheat the game and I don’t ever want to think I’m not going to be 100 percent. But that was the cards I was dealt this year. It was a lot.”

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Heyward has never really had to fight through an injury of that magnitude during a season before. He’s been relatively healthy throughout his career. He did tear a pectoral muscle midway through the 2016 season, which cost him the final nine games (and three playoff games). But Heyward was placed on injured reserve that year, ending his season and preventing any hope of coming back.

This year was different. Once he tore his groin off the bone during the first half of the opener against the 49ers, there was always a thought he could come back sooner rather than later. Once he returned, Heyward struggled to get ready for Sundays, yet still played an average of 44 defensive snaps over his final 11 games, including the playoff loss.

In the single-digit weather on Monday, Heyward sat out only 12 of the 67 defensive snaps.

“I fought the doctors every week,” Heyward said. “You can ask Dr. (James) Bradley. I wanted to put my hand in that pile. On the flip side of that, I put my body through a lot of pain this year. Get me to the stadium and we will go from there. But I can’t be doing that year in and year out. It has been pretty rough.”

The goal of getting back on the field motivated Heyward, perhaps almost to his detriment. Seeing the 34-year-old fight just to play was inspiring for All-Pro T.J. Watt.

Watt dealt with an injury that kept him out of more than half of the 2022 season, so he could relate to Heyward’s struggles.

“To be able to go out on the field and know you aren’t 100 percent going into the game is an awful feeling,” Watt said. “I respect the hell out of Cam as a professional, as a friend, as a leader. I have so much respect for him. Everything. He just goes about his business the right way. That guy just wants to win, and to have a guy like that in the building just makes you want to fight that much harder for him. I know how difficult a season it was for him.”

It might not be solely Heyward’s decision whether he comes back. He is set to count $22.3 million against the cap in 2024. If he were to be released, it would save the Steelers $16 million against the cap on a soon-to-be 35-year-old coming off a major injury and the worst season of his career.

However, the Steelers usually don’t operate like that. Heyward is viewed as one of the franchise’s all-time greats, and owner Art Rooney II would much rather eat that salary than nudge him out the door.

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Late owner Dan Rooney regretted Franco Harris leaving for Seattle nearly 30 years later. Art Rooney was the main reason why the Steelers brought back an old Ben Roethlisberger for a final year. The Steelers could extend Heyward’s contract for one year to lessen his cap hit, and there is always the retirement option. The Steelers could try to recoup a portion of his $17.75 million signing bonus from his 2020 extension, but historically they balk at the practice, like they did with Troy Polamalu almost a decade ago.

“That is their decision,” Heyward said when asked about his contract situation. “I don’t live in the what-ifs. I would like to be here, but when your number is called, your number is called. It is a business first. We will cross that bridge when we get there. Yeah, of course, I want to play. In my mind, I want to play more than just one more season. I don’t think it is I can’t play at a high level. I think I can. I just have to get healthy first.”

Despite being with the team since 2011, Heyward hasn’t enjoyed much playoff success. He’s been on the field for just one postseason win in his career — a wild-card victory over the Bengals after the 2015 season. Watt is hoping to get one more go-round with Heyward.

“Selfishly, I hope we can get him back for one more year and try to right this ship,” Watt said.