The Steelers announce their captains for the 2021 season

On Monday, the Pittsburgh Steelers players voted for their captains for the 2021 NFL season. Having one player each for offense, defense, and special teams, the Steelers captains for the 2021 season are Ben Roethlisberger, Cameron Heyward, and Derek Watt.

The 2021 season will become the seventh straight where both Ben Roethlisberger and Cameron Heyward are team captains. Whilethis is the seventh-straight year for Heyward is a captain, Roethlisberger has a much longer streak as it will be his 11th-straight season serving is the Steelers offensive captain. Roethlisberger has been captain 13 times in all as he was also team captain in 2008 and 2009. During the 2010 season, it was Heath Miller and Hines Ward who were the Steelers offensive captains before Roethlisberger returned to the role in 2011.

When it comes to special teams, Derek Watt has been elected captain for the first time in his second season with the Steelers. Not having a special teams captain for the Steelers in 2017, a different player has been selected each season since with Chris Boswell in 2018, Roosevelt Nix in 2019, and Jordan Dangerfield in 2020.

During the 2020 season, the Steelers had five captains as they had two players each on offense and defense. Maurkice Pouncey served as an offensive captain in 2020 which was his third consecutive season and fourth overall for the Steelers. Upon Pouncey’s retirement after the 2020 season, the Steelers have elected only one offensive captain.

The other player who was a defensive captain in 2020 was linebacker T.J. Watt, younger brother of Steelers’ captain Derek Watt. The youngest Watt brother is currently not fully participating in Steelers team activities as he and the Steelers are attempting to work out a long-term contract prior to the start of the 2021 season.

Stay tuned to Behind The Steel Curtain as the Pittsburgh Steelers prepare for Week 1 of the 2021 NFL regular season against the Bills in Buffalo at 1 PM this Sunday.