Every season the top teams in the NFL continue to innovate and evolve on offense to keep up with athletic defenses and come up with new ways to move the football and score more points. Then there are the Pittsburgh Steelers. While some teams are finding ways to incorporate more athletes into the game plan and create mismatches for opposing defenses, Pittsburgh is hoping in the wayback machine and bulking up tight end Connor Heyward to use him more as a fullback.

Heyward spoke to the media during OTAs and said he’s up to 240 pounds and looks to be moving into a heavier role as a fullback in the upcoming season.

“My senior year I played at 240,” Heyward said. “I was blocking some bigger guys, so just really hitting the weight room with Cam. I know it’s got to be a big year in every type of way, special teams, offense when I’m in there, perimeter blocking. I also just got bigger because he’s more at fullback. Just come and look at that type. Honestly, just locking on the playbook. I feel like everything’s just slowed down. Last year everything was moving fast. Not saying that I didn’t know it, but just comfortable.”

This news is in addition to reports that the Steelers are looking for what is being described as another playmaker on offense but in the form of another tight end. Head coach Mike Tomlin and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith seem to want to hop in a time machine and try to keep up with 2025 NFL offenses with an offense out of the 1970s.

This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers TE Connor Heyward bulks up to play fullback