Steelers Rookie Eli Heidenreich Has New Nickname

The Pittsburgh Steelers seventh rounder has a new moniker for 2026.

Dec 13, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Navy Midshipmen slotback Eli Heidenreich (22) catches a pass for a touchdown against the Army Black Knights during the second half of the 126th Army-Navy game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images | Danny Wild-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers have a new local hero they can attempt to rely on.

The Steelers made waves with their seventh-round selection at the 2026 NFL Draft, taking Mt. Lebanon High School Alum and WPIAL champion Eli Heidenreich.

Heidenreich was an electric talent at the Naval Academy, and was one of two players from the team selected in this year's draft. He is now well known for his iconic moment in the green room on Day 3 of the draft, and he is gearing up to be a contributor on the 2026 team.

In order for him to contribute, he will have to play a variety of roles between offense and special teams, and it seems he has meshed well thus far. During a press availability for first-year running backs coach Ramon Chinyoung, he spoke to the media about how Heidenreich has worked so far in OTAs.

“He’s been in my room every day. He is a Swiss Navy knife; I told him to patent that,” Chinyoung said. “Great kid, does a great job of just meshing with the guys and relationships, but also taking the time to learn the scheme, identifying where he fits.”

The nickname is an obvious play on the "swiss army knife" but simply speaks to his ability to adapt to change and perform a vaariety of roles for the team, which will be necessary for him to make the roster.

Heidenreich was the all time record holder for receiving touchdowns at Navy with 16, as the team often operates out of a run-heavy scheme. He additionally holds the record for career and season receiving yards at Navy with 1994 and 941 in 2025 respectively. His 109 receptions across four seasons rank as the second most in the history of the Naval Academy.

What can Heidenreich do now?

Jan 27, 2026; Frisco, TX, USA; East running back Eli Heidenreich (28) runs with the ball against the West during the first half at the Ford Center at the Star. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

With the Steelers, he will have a lot of work to do in order to make the roster. He slots in as a running back as he did at Navy, but will be competing in a room chock-full of veterans in order to gain a spot. His room, as it stands, includes Jaylen Warren, new addition Rico Dowdle and second-year running back Kaleb Johnson, as well as multiple undrafted free agents who will make it harder for the young back to find his footing.

What works in his favor is his measureables, as he compared nearly 1-to-1 with elite running back Christian McCaffrey when it came to both his measurements and his times and scores in various drills related to the NFL Scouting Combine.

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