Navy slot back Eli Heidenreich shared a special moment with his father, David, when he jumped into the crowd after scoring his third touchdown in a 34-31 win against Air Force on Oct. 4.
Heidenreich’s dad went to the game with some friends. They were standing behind an end zone.
“As I’m running up, I kind of see a few of them and I knew kind of what they were wearing, so I jumped right up, and he was right there,” Heidenreich said on Glenn Clark Radio Oct. 8. “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ It was a really special moment. He was smacking me on my helmet.”
The 6-foot, 206-pound slot back became the first player in Navy history to record more than 200 receiving yards in a single game. The senior caught eight passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns, helping the Midshipmen move to 5-0. Navy improved to 6-0 with a 32-31 win against Temple a week later.
Heidenreich said his parents have played a major role in his football career and his life. They encouraged him to stick with football when he was smaller than his peers in high school.
“[My dad] knew that I still had some talent in me, and he told me this quote that stuck with me,” Heidenreich said. “It’s something that I still have written down, and it’s my lock screen on my phone. It’s, ‘Don’t let potential be written on your tombstone.’
“It’s just something that has always pushed me. It’s my kind of little motivating piece that I’ll look back to when I’m maybe feeling a bit uninspired, but he’s definitely had a huge role in who I am as a football player and as a man.”
Quarterback Blake Horvath threw three touchdown passes to Heidenreich against Air Force. Heidenreich said their relationship has grown since Horvath took over as starter in 2024.
“I think people still kind of are unassuming with him and his passing capabilities, but he proves them wrong, kind of each and every week,” Heidenreich said.
Navy head coach Brian Newberry said after the Air Force game that his team’s ability to adapt when the game stalled was a sign of maturity. Heidenreich credited the Mids’ senior leadership, specifically Horvath, for helping them stay focused through challenges.
“He’s just super composed and never someone that lets these little things kind of get to him, and he’s a guy that really leads by example and sets the tone for our offense,” Heidenreich said. “It’s really easy to kind of just get behind him and follow.”
Heidenreich said his performance felt almost “effortless” once he settled into the game.
“You’re not really thinking a lot about it. I think that’s when a lot of people play their best football, and I think that definitely applies to me,” Heidenreich said.
The win against Air Force marked a home victory against another service academy, and Heidenreich said the atmosphere at the stadium was “electric.”
“I think we had 37,000 people [show up] … it was pretty much a sold-out crowd,” he said. “… I think the coolest thing about it all is being able to get a win for the ultimate ‘Shipmen.”
For more from Heidenreich, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Kenya Allen/PressBox