Pitt TE May Be Mason Heintschel's New Favorite Target

PITTSBURGH — Pitt Panthers sophomore quarterback Mason Heintschel will enter the 2026 season without four of his top five receiving leaders from a season ago.

One of Heintschel's favorite targets was Marshall transfer tight end Justin Holmes. In his lone year with the Panthers, Heintschel and Holmes connected 22 times for 245 yards and three touchdowns.

The two may not have produced many yards or scores, but Holmes caught the third-most passes from Heintschel, behind only leading receivers Raphael "Poppi" Williams and Kenny Johnson.

Nov 29, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers tight end Justin Holmes (88) reacts with wide receiver Raphael Williams Jr. (5) after his touchdown against the Miami Hurricanes during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Since Williams, Johnson and Holmes are no longer on the team, there's an opening for a new candidate to become Heintschel's go-to target in 2026.

Enter redshirt freshman tight end, Max Hunt.

"Him and Mason kind of have this weird connection where somehow they always complete the ball to each other," said offensive coordinator Kade Bell.

Could Hunt Have a Breakout 2026 Season?

Hunt and standout freshman cornerback Shawn Lee Jr. were two true freshmen who began to emerge at the end of fall camp. Pat Narduzzi called Hunt a "gamer" and said that he "just makes plays."

Although Hunt didn't have a breakout freshman season like Lee did — catching just one pass for 20 yards — Bell said that the coaching staff always saw Hunt as a developmental player.

"We knew it would take him a little bit, but George Kittle was the same way," Bell said.

Kittle, who was a standout tight end at Iowa and is now a two-time All-Pro with the San Francisco 49ers, was recruited as a 6-foot-4, 205-pound wide receiver and left the Hawkeyes as a 250-pound tight end.

Dec 14, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) runs the ball against Tennessee Titans safety Kendell Brooks (30) during the second quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Hunt was a 6-foot-5, 210-pound tight end as a recruit, according to 247Sports. Now, Bell says Hunt's up to 223 pounds and wants him to reach 230-235 pounds by the beginning of the season.

"I feel great," Hunt said. "I don't think it slowed me down in the pass game at all, and it's only helping in the run game, just being able to do as many jobs as possible."

Blocking and catching football are the two main aspects of playing tight end, but one underrated quality that Hunt has is his football IQ. The best safety valve tight ends know how to find soft spots in coverage and get open for their quarterback.

"The special thing about Max is how football smart he is," Bell said. "You're talking about a kid that didn't get a lot of reps because he didn't play last year. He knows the offense like a quarterback. He's one of the most football-smart kids I've coached in a long time at that position."

Now, enter Heintschel.

"Mason's probably one of the first guys that I really connected with when I came here to Pitt," Hunt said. "We were roommates our freshman year, so when we first came in early, we were always working together, going through the plays again, getting extra work. So I think, just from day one, we've always had a special connection."

Nov 15, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Mason Heintschel (6) looks to pass against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

With a larger, more physical version of Hunt, paired with a more experienced version of Heintschel, the old freshman year roommates could be a dangerous duo for Pitt in 2026.

"I think we both are pretty smart football players," Hunt said. "We kind of just see the same things a lot of the time and can kind of just communicate without communicating. He knows where I like the ball. I know where he likes to throw the ball. I feel like we just always built that good connection since I came here."

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