Mike McCarthy Sends Clear Message on Eli Heidenreich’s Path to a Steelers Roster Spot

Story by

Story by
Mike McCarthy Sends Clear Message on Eli Heidenreich’s Path to a Steelers Roster Spot

Heena Singh · Gridiron Heroics

Fri, Sep 11, 2026 ·

4 min read

About Our Ads

The Pittsburgh Steelers retained all 10 rookie draft members on their 53-man roster, Eli Heidenreich who made the last selection. Heidenreich ousted a tough battle to make the final cut. But he did make it, after beating out several players for the third and final running back spot.

Head Coach Mike McCarthy has now opened up on Heidenreich's clear path to making the roster spot in a recent interview. The gaffer's comments show the technical side of Steelers' coaching crew and what future NFL hopefuls might want to prioritize during training.

What Mike McCarthy Said About Eli Heidenreich and His Roster Selection

Jun 9, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy speaks during Minicamp at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Heidenreich was decent as a runner during the preseason. However, his special teams capabilities became a large part of the major reasons behind his selection. Moreover, those abilities give him some time to grow his offensive game. Steelers Depot, a Steelers-dedicated news platform shares McCarthy's comments in a recent tweet.

"It's a big part of it. He has to. I mean, he wouldn't be here today if he wasn't part of special teams responsibility. That's normal for young players, especially someone with Eli's skillset. So, yes, he's definitely making a lot of progress."

Upon learning about a change to lead his hometown team, McCarthy broke down in tears when the front office hired him in January. Similarly, seeing Heidenreich walking onto the draft stage in full naval dress uniform outside Acrisure Stadium, only a few miles from the Mount Lebanon neighborhood where he grew up, felt like a cutout from a movie script.

The 6-foot, 206-pound Heidenreich remarkably evolved from a seventh-round flyer following a record-setting career at Navy, where he set program marks for career (receiving yards and receiving touchdowns), into an NFL rookie. However, despite the adulations that have come his way, he has dismissed comparisons between himself and San Francisco 49ers running back and 2023 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey .

Similarly, McCarthy, though experienced on the touchline, has never stood on the home sideline. He anticipates that the significance will start to hit as he dives fully into the job. To think that what could be the final chapter of his head coaching career involves a team based in his hometown, McCarthy may not have dreamed of a better career ending for himself.

That said, while McCarthy and Heidenreich may be on different sides of the squad, per responsibilities, the "fairy-tale" narratives both share won't be forgotten so soon. Even more, fans and the entire community would be hoping to see what the duo would contribute to the team's goals by the end of the season.

Of course, there were a few suggestions that Heidenreich was a "hometown pick" who might not have merited the selection. But McCarthy has stood firmly surrounding his fellow Pittsburgh man by justifying his inclusion. Among other traits, the gaffer has recently highlighted the player's special teams abilities as being unavoidable.

That said, all the nostalgia concerning their "dream season" will wear off as the season advances. And both professionals would focus on figuring out how much progress their group has made and how much it needs to fulfill their seasonal goals.

What Mike McCarthy Said About Eli Heidenreich and His Roster Selection

Related reading: