By admin 
PITTSBURGH – Eli Heidenreich grew up a Pittsburgh Steelers fan and has watched many games from the seats inside Acrisure Stadium.
Read more 5 Winners And 4 Losers from Day 10 of Eagles Training Camp: Jake Elliott Has Been Near Perfect
As a matter of fact, he was one of the 65,400 fans in attendance on Jan. 4, when the Steelers beat the Baltimore Ravens to win the AFC North division title and clinch a playoff berth.
On Thursday night, after nearly four months of anticipation, Heidenreich will finally get a chance to play a game there.
The Steelers’ 10th and final pick in their 2026 draft, Heidenreich returned to practice on Tuesday and expects to make his NFL debut against the Green Bay Packers in the Steelers’ first preseason game.
“It’s something that I dreamed of for a long time,” the rookie running back said following Tuesday’s rain-shortened practice at Saint Vincent College. “I’m just excited to get out there.”
A graduate of the Naval Academy, Heidenreich is one of five WPIAL alumni on the Steelers’ training camp roster. Rookie receiver Levi Wentz (Pine-Richland) also is expected to make his Steelers debut against the Packers.
Heidenreich is a long shot to make the 53-man roster, but he is drawing inspiration from fellow running backs Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle, both of whom made it to the league as undrafted free agents.
Warren entered the league in 2022 after going undrafted out of Oklahoma State. He has put up almost 4,000 scrimmage yards in his first four NFL seasons and is entering his second season as the Steelers’ starting running back. Dowdle, signed as a free agent in March, went undrafted out of South Carolina in 2020 and is coming off his second 1,000-yard rushing season.
“It’s how you work and how you prepare,” Heidenreich said. “You’re going to be given some sort of opportunity. It might be more than others. It might be less than others. You just have to make the most of what you get.”
Heidenreich played a little bit of everything for Navy – he’s the school’s all-time leading receiver – but the Steelers are converting him to a full-time running back. Heidenreich’s transition to the NFL is a lot different than most players entering the league.
Navy’s option offense is built around the quarterback and running game – and it’s nothing like the West Coast offense Heidenreich is learning this summer.
“There are definitely new things I have to study a lot – pass protection and the rules associated with it,” he said. “There is a lot of knowledge I had to acquire in the first few months here.”
In addition to Warren and Dowdle, 2025 third-round pick Kaleb Johnson and veteran special teams ace Travis Homer are among the other running backs battling with Heidenreich for a roster spot. If Heidenreich has any chance of bucking the odds and making the opening day roster, he’s going to have to excel on special teams over the next few weeks.
Heidenreich has played in a variety of special teams roles in camp practices. He’s the backup personal protector on the punt team behind Homer. He’s also had reps as a kickoff returner and on the kickoff coverage unit.
“I’m excited for that opportunity,” said Heidenreich, who played extensively on special teams at Navy. “Special teams are such an important part of the game of football. If I can contribute, I’m going to do that.”
In April, in his full dress blue uniform, Heidenreich became the feel-good story of Day 3 of the NFL draft – the hometown hero comes back to hear his name called by his favorite team. All Heidenreich had to do was drive nine miles from his Mt. Lebanon home and through the Fort Pitt Tunnel to get to Point State Park.
Heidenreich is well aware how some view his selection, but he’s out to prove his presence on the Steelers is much more than a good story.
“Naturally there are some people who might say it was a hometown pick or whatever,” Heidenreich said. “But I’m here to play football, and that’s it.”
Read more Two Tennessee Titans Get Ejected From Joint Practice
____
Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.
This story was originally published August 12, 2026 at 2:58 AM.