How about another Mt. Lebanon HS, Navy, Steelers RB

PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Come on now, the odds of a pair of running backs from the same high school playing on the same college team and then early this week go through drills together with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

That’s the story of Alex Tecza joining his fellow Mt. Lebanon and Naval Academy alum Eli Heidenreich at practice at the UPMC Rooney complex on the South Side.

“I’m having fun,” Tecza said after practice Tuesday. “This is a dream come true. I live 20 minutes down the road and this is something I wanted to do my whole life.”

Tecza was working as a graduate assistant at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, seeing how hard it really is to be a coach in college football. That’s when he got the word the Steelers wanted to sign him to the preseason roster. He then went and told his bosses, admitting he was extremely nervous because of what they’ve done for him.

“They were pretty excited,” Tecza explained. “I told them beforehand it was a potential possibility. As soon as I called them, (they said) I’m going to do what I can do to help you out and they all did.”

He was able to leave Annapolis and get to Pittsburgh in time for practice on Monday and then go again Tuesday.

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“I could never imagine myself being out here in a practice uniform with TJ Watt, Aaron Rodgers, it’s pretty cool,” Tecza said.

He owns Jerome Bettis and Troy Polamalu jerseys and grew up a few miles from the practice facility. Could he see action in Thursday’s game?

“We are going to see what I can do, I’m still learning plays,” Tecza said. “I’m kinda running with my head cut off, but I’m hoping I can learn enough to get in there a couple of reps on Thursday. It would be pretty cool.”

There is the potential for three guys from last year’s Midshipmen team to play preseason football. Tecza said it’s really good for recruiting to the Naval Academy, to show you can go there and still fulfill a dream of playing professional football.

“It’s definitely special. I will be a deer in the headlights a little bit, but I’m going to take it in,” Tecza said of Thursday night.

It might just be a couple of days of living the life of an NFL player, but how many would just dream of having those days.