The Pittsburgh Steelers are less than a week away from their regular-season opener against the Atlanta Falcons, and one insider shared what fans can expect from one fan-favorite rookie.
According to insider Mark Kaboly, Eli Heidenreich is expected to serve as the punt protector on special teams while also serving as the third-string running back and backup returner.
"Other than maybe Cam Johnston and Ben Skowronek, the personal punt protector is one of the most important positions on the punt team. The Steelers are comfortable enough to hand that job to rookie seventh-round pick Eli Heidenreich," Kaboly wrote via X. "The job that was held for years by Miles Killebrew and was originally earmarked for veteran Travis Homer is now Heidenreich’s responsibility,
and Steelers special teams coach Danny Crossman is just fine with that. 'Any time you put anybody into those, what we refer to as signal caller positions, they're the voice of that group and the identification and the communication and those things; it's a big step. But we put them in that right from jump street. So, any time you do that, I think you prolong, even when he's not getting the reps on the field, he's getting the reps mentally on the side, from behind, in the meeting room, in walkthroughs.' Heidenreich is assured of a spot on the game day roster and will also be the backup kick and punt returner as well as the No. 3 running back."
Heidenreich, who was drafted by the Steelers in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft, set multiple records at Navy while also drawing Christian McCaffrey comps thanks to his impressive athleticism and versatility as a receiver.
Many considered Heidenreich a potential roster cut, but the Steelers clearly have different plans for the Pittsburgh native. He'll now play an important role on special teams while competing for more time on offense behind Rico Dowdle and Jaylen Warren.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers insider reveals important role for fan-favorite rookie
