Steelers Now
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf has a new nickname for one of the team’s rookies.
Pittsburgh Steelers rookie running back/wide receiver Eli Heidenreich has already been given the nickname “Swiss Navy Knife” by running backs coach Ramon Chinyoung. However, Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf believes he has come up with a better option.
“DK Metcalf, a few weeks ago in practice, he asked me, ‘Are you okay if I call you Captain America?’ And I was like, ‘Absolutely DK, you can call me Captain America.’ I’m honored,” Heidenreich said on The Ross Tucker Podcast.
Heidenreich, the Steelers’ No. 230 overall pick in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft, has quickly become a fan favorite after growing up in Pittsburgh and attending Mt. Lebanon high school.
However, the rookie seems to have done enough during the early portions of the offseason to earn a sweet new nickname from his veteran teammate.
That shouldn’t come as a complete surprise, though. Heidenreich showed a ton of versatility during his collegiate career at Navy, where he finished atop the all-time leaderboards for receiving yards (1,994) and receiving touchdowns (16).
He was also a second-team All-American Athletic Conference wideout last season, leading the Midshipmen with 51 receptions while also rushing for 499 yards and three scores, setting a single-season program record with 941 receiving yards and tying its mark with six touchdown grabs.
Heidenreich must still prove he is worthy of a spot on the Steelers 53-man roster later this summer — a task that could be difficult in a crowded running back room with Jaylen Warren, Rico Dowdle and former third-round pick Kaleb Johnson.
But Heidenreich seems to also have the support of Steelers president Art Rooney II, which can’t hurt his chances.
“The other highlight was when we drafted Eli and the reception he got there in the seventh round,” Rooney said following the draft. “It was probably the greatest seventh-round pick we’ve ever made, for sure.”
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: DK Metcalf Gives Steelers Rookie Sweet New Nickname
