Steelers running back Eli Heidenreich carries during the second half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers at Acrisure Stadium, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, in Pittsburgh.
Steelers running back Eli Heidenreich carries during the second half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers at Acrisure Stadium, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, in Pittsburgh.
Sources indicated to the Post-Gazette on Sunday that the Steelers plan to keep running back Eli Heidenreich on their 53-man roster, along with defensive tackles Gabriel Rubio and Kevin Jobity Jr.
Heidenreich was the team’s seventh-round selection out of Navy. A local graduate of Mt. Lebanon High School, Heidenreich racked up 1,440 yards and nine touchdowns from scrimmage in his senior season with the Midshipmen. The Steelers selected him with the 230th overall pick of the draft — their final of 10 selections made in the draft.
After missing several practices during training camp, Heidenreich returned and played in all three of the Steelers’ preseason games. In his final preseason game against the Bills, Heidenreich took nine carries for 35 yards and a touchdown.
Rubio was a rotational defensive tackle for Notre Dame in 2025, where he played primarily as a run stuffer who came off the bench for the Fighting Irish. Although he didn’t receive an invite to the NFL combine, Rubio’s physical presence at the line of scrimmage made him a training camp standout who also made a difference for the Steelers against the run in each of their three preseason games. Rubio was the team’s sixth-round pick this year — the 210th overall selection of the draft.
[Steelers offensive tackle Broderick Jones works through drills during training camp at Saint Vincent College in July.
Steelers offensive tackle Broderick Jones works through drills during training camp at Saint Vincent College in July.](https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2026/08/29/steelers-first-round-pick-broderick-jones-cowboys/stories/202608290043)
Jobity Jr. played all four of his collegiate seasons with Syracuse. In 2025, he became a starting defensive tackle for the Orange by their third game and started all 10 of the team’s remaining contests that season. He finished the season with five sacks and six tackles for loss.
First Published: August 30, 2026, 10:06 p.m.