Emotions ran high on Saturday when Pittsburgh native Eli Heidenreich heard his name called in the NFL Draft.The former Navy running back was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers, the same team he grew up watching as a kid.PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Steelers select hometown athlete with their final pick of the 2026 NFL DraftVideo from backstage shows Heidenreich in the green room, immediately fighting back tears after the announcement.“It was heartwarming. You know, you can’t make this stuff up,” Bob Palko said.His former coach said the moment was years in the making, pointing to Heidenreich’s discipline and character.“Unbelievable student, but more importantly, an unbelievable person.
Just the way he attacked his day,” Palko said. “You know, when it was time for school, it was school. When it was time for sports, it was time for sports.” Heidenreich said he had a feeling the Steelers were interested heading into the draft.“I definitely had some sort of inkling coming into the draft that the Steelers were interested and I’d potentially be drafted by them,” Heidenreich said during his first press conference.
At a bar in Mt. Lebanon, community members watched the moment unfold live, many celebrating the hometown connection.“It’s just crazy, I could cry. I was crying, we’ve known Eli since he was in first grade,” one woman said.
“Just to have someone who knows the football environment of Pittsburgh to be on there is just so exciting to us.”Heidenreich’s journey took him from wide receiver in high school to running back at Navy and now to the NFL.“I knew all along a few of those kids that could play,” Palko said. “The kid has earned everything he’s gotten.”Heidenreich was able to pursue a professional career under a policy that allows service academy athletes to delay active duty. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW