PITTSBURGH —Saturday morning wasn't the first time Eli Heidenreich and Alex Tecza took to the indoor field at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. The Mt. Lebanon natives had previously taken part in camps at the Pittsburgh Steelers ' digs in high school.
But, following decorated careers at Navy, the two ball carriers pulled on white Steelers practice jerseys and ran through drills at the team's rookie minicamp practice. Even in new attire, things didn't feel all that different, mainly because they were right next to one another.
"It feels normal, you know?" Heidenreich said afterward. "We've done it pretty much our entire lives. We've always been in meetings together, we've been doing workouts together and practicing together quite literally since second grade. So to keep doing it, it feels like normal."
The pair led Mt. Lebanon to a PIAA Class 6A gridiron title in 2021. They played together with the Midshipmen, with Tecza rushing for 2,236 yards and 23 touchdowns, while Heidenreich posted a school-record 1,994 receiving yards and 16 scoring grabs.
Pittsburgh Steelers rookies Eli Heidenreich, left, and Alex Tecza run through drills together at a rookie minicamp practice on Saturday, May 9. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
"I feel like it's just right, sticking together for all these years," Tecza said.
There for a tryout, Tecza said that being able to prove himself was all he wanted and was "just happy to get the opportunity. This is my hometown team, and it's a dream come true." Both recognized at their Midshipmen pro day that it could've been the last time they took the field together in the same jersey.
"We definitely thought (that) was definitely the end, especially after that bowl game," Tecza said. "So I hugged him after and just said I appreciate him, but I knew he was gonna play in the NFL, so it was just a waiting game for me. The fact that I got the opportunity, especially with him, has been pretty cool."
Heidenreich, the Steelers' seventh-round pick who was able to enjoy a warm welcome at last month's 2026 NFL Draft, wants to see his longtime teammate stick around in black and gold.
"I'm really hoping," Heidenreich said. "I think he's done fantastic already. I think he's turned some heads, so hopefully he gets his chance. … He's so incredibly deserving. We haven't (talked about) it yet. We just finished our practice, but I think we'll definitely have a good little heart-to-heart here today."
Tecza won't harbor any negative feelings if this is the end of his Steelers road. He'll want to be at games wearing a No. 29 jersey in the crowd.
"Hopefully he gets me some tickets," Tecza said.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Steelers Give Eli Heidenreich, Alex Tecza Another Chapter Together
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