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.
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."

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