O`yea, I was at that little league game where his uniform didn`t fit,and guys were bouncing off him like pins at a bowling alley,I remember the Clifton game when Iron touched that punt which helped them get thier only points (we still won 20-3).Speaking of 3, who could forget that Montclair game when he kicked a FG in a 3-2 game.Remember him and Tyrone Stowe in the back field,or him and Nate at Pitt.Remember that Nationaly telivised game against Miami Hurricanes when Iron hurddled a defender and went on to rush for over 200.I still think he should have won that Heisman. Craig made a small city in Norther NJ very LARGE and because of that all of our memories of him will forever run deep. Our deepest condolence to the Heyward Family.May God bless you all,Craig,I remember watching you play PAL, You were too much for any team to handle..And We know that God has a position for you on his Team..My wife Is Yvette Rios one of your classmates 1984.God Bless you. Cameron etches the words IRON HEAD on his eye black as a tribute to his father. Best of wishes to your son cameron who i know you are very proud of cameron with your fathers work ethic and dedication your gonna be fine i cant wait to see you play on sundays in the nfl rember give it your alleach and every day dads smiling and watching you god bless you and your family cameron stay strong brother life is so precious here one day gone the next as im sure you can understand, I remember him and Todd Picket sitting outside talking in front of the house ob Burgess Place. iron also stretched my shoes for me in high school when they were too tight. Craig William "Ironhead" Heyward (September 26, 1966 – May 27, 2006) was an American football running back who played for the New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons, St. Louis Rams, and Indianapolis Colts in an 11-year National Football League career. 's Ironhead, Is Dead at 39. lholder_cbs_nba Interesting #Saints tidbit: Craig Heyward Jr will be trying out at rookie minicamp this weekend. Best wishes to the family. [citation needed]. To the family; my prayers go out to you that you may find comfort in the "Lord.". Take care and God Bless. A listing of his survivors was not immediately available. And Always, Hail to Pitt! Craig "Ironhead" Heyward may you rest in peace. An all-American at the University of Pittsburgh, Heyward was chosen by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 1988 N.F.L. We had a ball joyriding throughout Bergen & Passaic Counties.
I thank God my memories run long. To one very special person,A man with big talent and even a bigger heart.May God be with you on your journey. When you loose someone like craig you loose more than a friend you loose your life long brother but he left me with many memory's. Your partner in crime..
He never ceased to amaze me how he always managed to get whatever he wanted out of Al from A&E Sports Center; free reign of his car and penthouse.
LOVE YOU, Those we love don't go away, they walk beside us every day.
We first met in #4 school and you were always a good friend to me.
Thanks for the memories Iron and Al.
I like to send my condolences to Pat,Larry,Scottie,Stevie,and my maine man Nate the skate and the rest of the Heywards. My deepest sympathy goes out to the family of "Ironhead". I remembered that you ran into the lake we didn't knoW if you could even swim... we all paid the next morning with EL'S MARATHON WIND SPRINTS.The laugh the light heartedness will also be remembered. How he was the last person to cut my hair.
He became an all-state player at Passaic High School before starring at Pittsburgh. Craig (I never called him "Ironhead") was truly loved and he will be greatly missed. After it was partially removed in a 12-hour operation, he underwent 40 rounds of radiation treatments and was later pronounced cancer-free. I was a big fan of Mr. Ironhead when I was young. He was 39.
He told Rick Reilly of Sports Illustrated: "I was an idiot. My condolences to the Heyward family. If you knew him then you were blessed to have had a great friend in your life.
May God Bless! Share Craig's life story with friends and family. All these things make me remember what it was like being friends with Iron. He always brought a smile to my face whenever we would see each other in high school. It was through that connection I learned about Mr. Heyward and found out that he was a wonderful person, loving father and terrific football player. keep your eye on the ball. He was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the first round (24th pick overall) of the 1988 NFL Draft out of the University of Pittsburgh, Heyward's 3,086 career rushing yards rank third all-time at Pitt. I had'nt seen him since P.H.S.
He was 39.
I know that I am not losing a friend but, that I am entrusting you to another friend who sticketh closer than a brother and who will take better care of you than anyone ever could. We wish our deepest condolences to the family of Ironhead Heyward. Take comfort in knowing that now you have a special guardian angel to watch over you. He declared himself eligible for the 1988 draft after his junior year.
in only three seasons. I didn't care. R.I.P. Plant a tree to honor the memory of your loved one. May God be with you, and guild you doing this sad times. I have a lot of great memories along side of the greatest football player i've ever saw in my lifetime. MERRY CHRISTMAS. God Bless the Heyward Family.
We'd be out there wilding. In life we loved you dearly, in death we love you still. From that day on, they never doubted me. When Heyward was with the Saints, Jim Finks, the team's president and general manager, called him the best blocking back in the league.
I just learned of his passing away today 1/7/07 when an announcer addressed his son playing for LSU in the National championship as the son of the late great Ironhead Heyward. Covering the glorious Ironhead era at Passaic High, my alma mater, was truly among the highlights of my career as a sportswriter. God bless... Ironhead - you were the greatest and you will be missed. I wanted to be the big man.
I will forever remember him for his sense of humor and his playful nature. It is always difficult to say good-bye to a friend, a man who lived life to the fullest. I figured I knew what was best for me. It said he got his nickname from street football games in which he would lower his head into the stomach of the tackler; one opponent said it hurt so much that Heyward's head must be made of iron.[4]. In November 1998, Heyward said that he had blurred vision in his right eye, and was diagnosed with a malignant bone cancer at the base of his skull that was pressing on the optic nerve.
Craig Heyward, the powerful fullback known as Ironhead, who played 11 seasons in the National Football League despite battling binges of food and drink, died Saturday.
They cringed if they had to go up against him on the field. Incredible...An abosolute Super Hero...God bless you my dear brother... Until i moved here from Pittsburgh P.A. you can now have memorial trees planted in a National Forest in memory of your loved one. From ages 10 to 12, Heyward lived in a training school for wayward boys. I am greatly saddened by Craig's untimely loss, but his family should know how he inspired a team and a town, and that without doubt he was one of the greatest high school football players in New Jersey history. My deepest sympathy goes out to Craig's family. i had my moments thinking about the good times i have shared with Iron. For some reason I felt drawn to look up Craig "Ironhead" Heyward today not knowing it's the anniversary of his death. My deepest sympathy to the Heyward family.
You will surely be missed, great person and a GREAT sense of humor. Professional Football Player.
No memorial events are currently scheduled. Class of 1981 Blanca Chang E:Mail nchls_gentile@yahoo.com & Class of 1984 Marlene Chang. To the Heyward family hang in there. Honestly, this wiki has enough problems without people inserting unsourced claims.
IN OUR HEARTS YOU ARE STILL WITH US.
--Craig Heyward Jr., 2, was born to a school friend he decided not to marry.--Periodically, teammates tore their hair out waiting for Ironhead to take a few pounds off for big games. Part of it is pride. I remember the first time I met Craig, I was scared, he told me not to be afraid of him, I was new in the states & didnt know many people or even the language, he & his brothers made me feel welcomed, we became good friends, after that I couldnt get enough between his brothers Paul, Steven & Ironhead they followed me everywhere & made sure that nobody bothered me. We soon discovered that we lived one town away from each other. I remember that 1st game against Memorial N.Y., it was Iron`s comming out party ,he celebrated his 14th B-day by scoring 2. Rip. You will not be forgotten, you will always be in our hearts.
Craig - I always remember your mischievous little laugh throughout our days at P.H.S., and you still had it when you paid John "Buckeye" and I a visit 5 yrs. To the family: May God keep and bless you during this time.
1st man I ever saw literally move the pile and I mean literally!!
Love and miss u #34. He would lower his head into tacklers' stomachs, and one opponent said it hurt so much that Heyward's head had to be made of iron.
[2], 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. May God continue on blessing him and care for him and may God look out for his family. Heyward died after battling cancer for almost eight years. I was at softball camp, he was playing football for the North/South.