Courtesy Story, United States Naval Academy

2nd Lts. Eli Heidenreich and Alex Tecza of the United States Marine Corps made Naval Academy football history Thursday night when they appeared for the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 28-27 preseason loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Heidenreich and Tecza are believed to be the fourth pair of Naval Academy graduates to appear for the same team in the same NFL game. They are the second pair of former Navy football teammates—and the first pair of Marine Corps officers who graduated from the Naval Academy—to accomplish the feat.

“Alex and Eli embodied the ultimate fusion of elite athleticism and uncompromising MarineCorps grit as they took the field last night, carrying with them far more than a playbook,” said Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy Lt. Gen. Mike Borgschulte. “They represented the relentless drive, selfless team-first mentality, and warrior ethos that define our Navy and Marine Corps. I was especially proud to see Eli snap a crisp salute after his touchdown, a moment that immediately reminded me of another Naval Academy Marine, 2nd Lt. Landon Robinson, who proudly rendered a crisp salute after an aggressive sack for the Cincinnati Bengals last week. Those moments transcend the scoreboard. They are powerful reminders that our warriors carry the values forged at the Naval Academy with them wherever they go. Eli, Alex, and Landon are living examples of the type of leaders we forge at the Naval Academy through discipline, sacrifice, teamwork, and an unwavering commitment to excellence”

“What an incredible night for Eli and Alex, for Navy football, the Naval Academy and the United States Marine Corps,” said Navy head football coach Brian Newberry. “Those two young men represent everything our program and the Naval Academy are about. They are tough, selfless competitors who earned this opportunity through a tremendous amount of hard work. To see them make history together as Navy football teammates and Marine Corps officers is something our entire program takes great pride in.”

The first pair of Naval Academy graduates—and the first former Navy teammates—believed to have appeared for the same team in the same NFL game were Tyree Barnes (’09) and Eric Kettani (’09) who played for the New England Patriots during the 2011 preseason.

Two other pairs of Naval Academy graduates have appeared together in an NFL preseason game. Kettani and Joe Cardona (’15) played for the Patriots in 2015, then Cardona and Diego Fagot (’22) played for the Patriots in 2023.

Heidenreich carried the ball nine times for 35 yards, including a nine-yard touchdown run, and returned two kickoffs for 47 yards. Tecza saw action on special teams.

Heidenreich and Tecza are two of five Naval Academy graduates currently on NFL rosters, four of whom are Marines. 2nd Lt. Landon Robinson (’26) is with the Cincinnati Bengals, 2nd Lt. Rayuan Lane (’25) is with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Cardona, who recently concluded his service with the Navy as a lieutenant commander, is with the Los Angeles Rams.

Multiple U.S. Navy and Marine Corps officers have played in the NFL and returned to active duty for their service commitment. Those officers include 1st Lt. Malcom Perry who transitioned back into the active-duty component of the U.S. Marine Corps in 2022 after playing in the NFL. He is currently serving as an unmanned aerial systems officer stationed in Yuma, Ariz., where he leads Marines and integrates cutting-edge technology to ensure the Corps is prepared for the complexities of the modern battlefield.

Founded in 1845, the U.S. Naval Academy today is a prestigious four-year service academy that prepares midshipmen morally, mentally, and physically to become professional officers in the naval service. More than 4,400 men and women representing every state in the U.S. and several foreign countries make up the student body known as the Brigade of Midshipmen. U.S. News and World Reports has recognized the Naval Academy as the #1 top public school, #3 national liberal arts college, and #5 best undergraduate engineering programs. From a pool of more than 16,000 applicants, approximately 1,200 earn appointments to the U.S. Naval

Academy each year. Midshipmen learn from military and civilian instructors and participate in intercollegiate varsity sports and extracurricular activities. They also study subjects like small arms, drill, seamanship and navigation, tactics, naval engineering and weapons, leadership, ethics, and military law. Upon graduation, midshipmen earn a Bachelor of Science degree in a choice of 26 different subject majors and go on to serve at least five years of exciting and rewarding service as commissioned officers in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps.