On 30 June 2015, Heaton signed a new three-year deal at the club through to the summer of 2018. Taking over for Jason Shackell, Heaton was named as captain for the 2015–16 season, captaining the team for the first time on 8 August 2015, on the opening day of the 2015–16 Championship season against Leeds United in a 1–1 draw. Heaton kept 20 clean sheets during the season, second only to Dimitrios Konstantopoulos of Middlesbrough, as Burnley did not lose in the second half of the Championship season on their way to becoming champions and earning promotion back to the Premier League at their first attempt. Towards the end of the season, Heaton was named in the Championship PFA Team of the Year.