Charlotte Heyward Blackwell is not just the amazing mother of Cameron Heyward, the defensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but also the ex-wife of the late former NFL player, Craig Heyward. She’s been the rock for Cameron and his siblings following the demise of their popular father.
Every football follower is familiar with the popular NFL player and his old man, but what about the out-of-picture strength that had been the backbone of shaping the family to its greatness?
Join us in exploring the untold and unfolded chapters of the DE’s mom, along with her late husband and her family as a whole.
Charlotte Heyward Blackwell was Born and Brought Up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Charlotte was born on December 22, 1967, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She grew up in the Highlands section of Pittsburgh with her parents and graduated from Peabody High School. As of 2024, she is 56 years old.
At present, she is the Executive Director at the Heyward House Foundation, dedicated to impacting the lives of today’s youth. Besides that, she also runs the podcast ‘It’s 3rd and 1 Podcast” where she talks about life trials and the sports industry with sports guests.
Charlotte Is a Two Times Divorcée
Charlotte has been married three times in her life with her first two marriages resulting in a divorce. Her first marriage was to the late NFL player Craig Heyward aka Ironhead,
Charlotte met Craig as a sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh, where their connection blossomed into a sweet romance. They were college sweethearts for some time and in the year 1988, while both at the University of Pittsburgh, Craig and Charlotte tied the knot.
That was the year Craig got selected by the New Orleans Saints. He played with New Orleans for 4 years until 1992. Following that, he played for four NFL teams until 1998, concluding his career with the Indianapolis Colts.
Charlotte had four children, Craig, Jr., Cameron, Corey, and Connor Heyward with her first husband Craig. After a joyous 13 years of marriage, their lives changed when Craig was diagnosed with a career-ending brain tumor in 1998. Although his relationship with their sons thrived during this time, the couple started facing a hard time as a married couple. After around three years, they separated in 2001, ultimately leading to divorce.
Nearly five years after their divorce, Craig passed away due to his brain tumor on May 27, 2006, at the age of 39. Charlotte, as a single mother, took on the responsibility of caring for their children. Despite the challenges, she wholeheartedly supported their children in pursuing their sports careers.
Charlotte Remarried Former NBA star Cory Blackwell After Her First Divorce
Following her divorce from Craig, Charlotte married the former NBA player Cory Blackwell. They married in the early 2000s, but the precise date isn’t available. The former couple met as their respective kids played on the same travel AAU basketball team in 2005. Charlotte has even mentioned this on a blog where she said she’s grateful to sports for helping her meet Cory.
Living together, they embraced their roles as parents, raising six children, three from Charlotte’s previous marriage and three from Cory’s. The kids pursued various sports, football, basketball, and baseball, depending on the season.
Despite a promising start, Charlotte and Cory’s marriage took a turn, leading them to divorce after 5 years of being together. Cory shared that being dishonest about his strong beliefs led to the separation in 2010. After the divorce, it is believed that Cory married a woman named Jeraldine and currently resides in Los Angeles, California.
Charlotte Is Currently Married to Steven Wesley
After divorcing Cory, Charlotte remained a dedicated single mother, raising her kids alone. But that changed when she got married to Steven Wesley in 2022. They met when the NFL mom was giving a speech at a correctional institution where Steven was the director.
Their brief introduction at the facility changed into a real relationship and they got engaged on June 26, 2021, and a year later, on June 19, 2022, they shared their ‘ I dos’ at Le Mont Restaurant in Pittsburgh. They simply celebrated their wedding in the presence of their close friends and family.
Currently, they reside together in Duluth, Georgia, sharing a joyful life. They attend the Heyward brothers’ football matches like the supportive parents they are. And, Charlotte often shares pictures of the duo referring to Wesley as her “calm in the storm of life.”
Charlotte Heyward Blackwell Proudly Mothers Four Children
As a single mother facing adversity, Charlotte demonstrated unwavering strength and dedication through her life’s ups and downs. She successfully raised four kids who now excel in sports, bringing her immense pride. Charlotte’s hard work and investment in her children have borne fruit, as they currently repay her dedication by achieving success and making her proud.
The oldest: Craig Jr. Heyward
Heyward’s oldest followed in the footsteps of his father like all of his other brothers. He played high school football at Passaic High School in New Jersey. Later, he became a walk-on at Middle Tennessee State, contributing mainly to special teams. He didn’t have a successful football career and as of now, Craig Jr. serves as an assistant coach at Nutley High School in New Jersey.
Craig Jr., unlike his famous brothers, prefers privacy. Despite avoiding the spotlight, Craig Jr.’s social media reflects genuine and steadfast support for his siblings. Besides, he still misses his father and constantly posts heartfelt pictures on his socials.
Cameron Heyward
Cameron Philip Heyward, born on May 6, 1989, is the second child of Charlotte. He’s a defensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers, selected in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He completed high school in Peachtree Area, Georgia, and went on to attend Ohio State University from 2007-2010.
Besides, Cameron leads a happy love life. In his freshman year at Ohio State University, Heyward started dating Allie Schwarzwalder. They got engaged on New Year’s Eve 2012 at Savoy and tied the knot on May 11, 2013, at the Westin Convention Centre Pittsburgh Hotel in Pennsylvania. Now, they have three children together- two daughters, Chloe and Caia, and one son, Callen.
Corey Heyward
Corey, born on August 29, 1993, in Pittsburgh, is Heyward’s third son. After graduating from Peachtree High School, he embraced a distinctive athletic journey than his siblings i.e., basketball. In May 2017, Corey graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Georgia Institute of Technology.
Cory played basketball for Georgia Tech and served as the National Honor Society team captain from 2016 to 2017. After retiring from his sports career, he has transitioned as a sales support specialist at Stanley Black and Decker Inc., where they provide tools and innovative solutions for builders.
The Youngest: Connor Heyward
Born on January 22, 1999, Connor is a tight end and fullback for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He grew up with his mother and brothers in Duluth, Georgia. He too attended Peachtree Ridge High School just like his older brothers.
He was selected for college football at Michigan State University in 2011 and joined the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 6th round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Scoring his first professional touchdown in Week 13 against the Atlanta Falcons, he concluded his rookie season with 12 receptions, 151 receiving yards, and 1 touchdown in 17 games.