Steelers' Pittsburgh Homecomings Get Real in Preseason Opener

PITTSBURGH — Mike McCarthy and Eli Heidenreich will take the final steps of their homecoming journey Thursday night, when the two Pittsburgh natives walk onto the field at Acrisure Stadium for the Steelers' preseason opener against Green Bay.

McCarthy, hired in January, was brought to tears by the chance to lead his hometown team. Heidenreich, a seventh-round pick, walked onto the draft stage last April in full Naval dress uniform outside Acrisure Stadium, a few miles from the Mount Lebanon neighborhood where he grew up.

Both say they know a reality check awaits under the lights.

"Naturally, there's some people that might assume that it was like you said, like a hometown pick or whatever, whatever someone wants to say," Heidenreich said. "But I'm here to play football, and that's it."

Heidenreich set Navy program records for career receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. At 6 feet and 206 pounds, he politely dismissed comparisons to San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, the 2023 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, noting that McCaffrey arrived in the league as a Heisman Trophy finalist and a first-round pick.

"He's a fantastic player and one of the best to ever do it," Heidenreich said. "And he's just someone that I look up to and really try to do my best to model him in certain ways."

His best chance to avoid being cut for the first time in his life is as a special teams contributor. Carries at running back may be scarce, though he has stuck close to backfield coach Ramon Chinyoung since camp opened, and his elusiveness could make him an option as a kick returner. He recently tweaked his hamstring, which limited him for a stretch, but his No. 29 was noticeable during a walkthrough Tuesday.

Dozens of friends and family members are expected to make the short drive to the stadium.

"It's an honor to just get out there and play in that stadium," he said. "It's something that I have dreamed of for a long time."

McCarthy has been on the field at Acrisure Stadium before but never on the home sideline. He begins what is likely the final chapter of his head coaching career against the team where it started.

"Obviously, having a personal and professional connection to Green Bay, that's part of my life," he said.

Once the ball is kicked, his focus shifts to young quarterbacks Will Howard and Drew Allar.

"I just want to see these young guys play," McCarthy said. "This is what these games are for."