by Bo Marchionte

Pittsburgh – Connor Heyward’s locker on the Steelers practice facility is nestled in the corner next to big brother Cam. The result is the pair are within close proximity to each other in the tiny confines of the locker room.

Whatever question asked both are clearly in the ear shot of conversation. 

“Nah I don’t have any nicknames,” Connor said.

Immediately big brother Cam, pounced on the opportunity to intercept Connor before another question could be answered and addressed.  

“Of course, he does,” Cam barked out while laughing. “Shrimp Cocktail!”

Cam said that is the name given to Connor by defensive line coach Karl Dunbar.

“Dunbar and the d-line that’s their little joke when they see me,” Connor said after his cover was blown by Cam. “When I come out there and I’m right next to (Zach) Gentry I just look small as hell compared to him.”

It only felt necessary to dig a little deeper and ask Gentry his thoughts on the entire nickname situation regarding the rookie tight end.

“He’s a liar he has so many nicknames,” Gentry laughed when hearing that Connor denied the nicknames existence.

“I can’t believe he said no. The defense calls him Shrimp Cocktail.”

Besides the nickname given to Connor by Coach Dunbar, Gentry himself as one that has stuck.

“We’ve been calling him Meatball for like two months,” Gentry said after a big smile.
“So, everybody calls him Meatball or Shrimp Cocktail.

So, he’s a liar.”

The size differential between Gentry and Connor led to the first nickname, but what about the second.

“I don’t know, I just called him that one day at camp in the meeting room,” Gentry said. “Because he looked like a little meatball. With his hair and he’s got that round face with his sweatshirt and sweatpants.

I was like what’s up Meatball. He’s a little liar. He fine, he’s just being reluctant.”

No matter what the nickname, it is all fun and games.

The comradery is about being close in the hard times as much as it is in teasing one another in lighthearted moments of the day in the life of an NFL football player.