There couldn’t have been a more positive reaction when the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Navy running back Eli Heidenreich late in the 2026 NFL Draft. Already a hero as a U.S. service member, Heidenreich played high school football in Pittsburgh’s south hills at Mt. Lebanon and heard his name called at the draft in front of his hometown.
For the Navy star playmaker, though, the honeymoon appears to be finished. He now faces the harsh reality of trying to make an incumbent division winner’s roster as a seventh-round pick.
His early part of training camp could have gone better. On Monday, Steelers Now’s Alan Saunders placed Heidenreich in his losers category for the first week of training camp.
“There’s nothing that Eli Heidenreich did or didn’t do when his number was called this week to put him on the losers section of this list. It’s the fact that he wasn’t very frequently called upon during a week where the practice cadence should have been right up his alley,” wrote Saunders.
“The Steelers basically did nothing but throw the ball all week, and Heidenreich, who played slot receiver at Navy but is moving to running back in the NFL, was barely called up, working as the No. 5 or 6 running back through the team’s rotation.”
On the team’s official roster, the Steelers list Heidenreich as a running back/wide receiver. The Steelers also have five other running backs at training camp.
Heidenreich appears to be playing behind one other running back who most pundits don’t see making the roster.
“On Saturday, former undrafted free agent Lew Nichols worked with the first team while Heidenreich worked with the second team, which is not a good sign for his 53-man roster chances,” added Saunders.
Steelers Eli Heidenreich Struggling to Emerge at Training Camp?
GettyPittsburgh Steelers seventh-round running back Eli Heidenreich is trying to find a role for his rookie season.
Heidenreich averaged 6.5 yards per carry as a senior at Navy last season. But he also had 51 receptions, 941 receiving yards and six touchdowns as a pass-catcher. Heidenreich posted 18.3 yards per catch over three years at Navy, including 18.5 yards per reception last season.
Therefore, the fact he wasn’t more involved in Pittsburgh’s pass-happy first week of camp is not a good sign.
Heidenreich is a versatile weapon, and there’s still time for him to showcase the value he could bring. But entering camp, he had a better chance of distinguishing himself as a pass-catcher than running back.
That simply hasn’t happened yet. Saunders also sees camp as probably only getting more difficult for the Navy product going forward.
Heidenreich finished his Navy career with 1,157 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. He averaged 6.8 yards per carry.
The 23-year-old also had 109 receptions, 1994 receiving yards and 16 receiving touchdowns.
Steelers RB Depth at Training Camp
GettySteelers Now’s Alan Saunders called running back Eli Heidenreich a loser from the first week of training camp with head coach Mike McCarthy and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Heidenreich’s path to a roster spot this summer is difficult because of the running back room the Steelers have built.
They lost pass-catching running back Kenneth Gainwell from last season. But the Steelers signed Rico Dowdle in NFL free agency to pair with Jaylen Warren.
The team also still has 2025 third-round rookie Kaleb Johnson. Interestingly, Saunders called Johnson a winner from the first week of camp.
Those will probably be Pittsburgh’s top three running backs entering the preseason. But none of them are likely to be significant special teams contributors. So other running backs, Travis Homer and Lew Nichols, could have an easier path to a roster spot than Heidenreich too.
That’s why Heidenreich showcasing his pass-catching skills is so vital. It’s important to note, though, that the Steelers are a lot more loaded at receiver than last season too.
Pundits expect veteran Michael Pittman Jr. to start while rookies Germie Bernard and Kaden Wetjen compete for receiver roles too. Another former third-rounder, Roman Wilson, could finally see more playing time also.
Heidenreich is the ultimate feel-good story. Practically everyone involved with the Steelers wants to see him succeed. He just faces an uphill battle to do so.
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