Craig Heyward then played for the New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons, St Louis Rams, and Indianapolis Colts in an 11-year NFL career.
15 Facts About Craig Heyward
1.
2.
Craig Heyward was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 1988 NFL Draft out of the University of Pittsburgh.
3.
Craig Heyward declared himself eligible for the 1988 draft after his junior year.
4.
In 1987 at Pittsburgh, Craig Heyward rushed for 1,791 yards to earn consensus All-America honors and finish fifth in the Heisman Trophy balloting.
5.
Craig Heyward was widely regarded as a nightmare for opposing defenses because he was often as big, and sometimes bigger, than the defenders who had to stop him, and had surprising quickness and agility.
6.
In 1997, Craig Heyward showcased his sense of humor in a series of television commercials for Zest body wash, introducing a generation of American men to the modern version of the Luffa that is a fixture in many showers and bathtubs.
7.
In November 1998, Craig Heyward reported blurred vision in his right eye, and was diagnosed with a malignant bone cancer, reportedly a chordoma, at the base of his skull that was pressing on the optic nerve.
8.
Craig Heyward barely flinched, and after relating the story later, his grandmother called him "Ironhead," and the nickname stuck.
9.
Craig Heyward played for the Ohio State Buckeyes, where he was named a freshman All-American in 2007 and honored as a team captain.
10.
Craig Heyward was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2011 NFL Draft.
11.
Craig Heyward would write the words "IRON HEAD" on his eye black as a tribute to his father.
12.
Craig Heyward was signed to the Trenton Steel of the SIFL where he was a running back.
13.
Craig Heyward was drafted in the 6th round by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2022 NFL Draft.
14.
Craig Heyward died on May 27,2006, at the age of 39, a year after another cancerous tumor developed that had metastasized to his brain; the recurrence of the tumor proved to be inoperable.
15.
Craig Heyward had experienced a stroke in the years prior to his death.