From chasing his football dream to reaching the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Eli Heidenreich has come a long way. Heidenreich was expected to graduate from the Naval Academy, but in the seventh round, the Steelers drafted him 230th overall. But one big question remains: what happens to his military duty? Does he have to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps after his NFL career ends?

“The rules are always shifting, and it really depends on the administration, kind of their stance on it,” Eli Heidenreich said on The Christian Kuntz podcast. “And right now, for me, I’m in a reserve contract. So I’m currently killing my time off by playing NFL football. So, I’m a reservist in the United States Marine Corps, and my job right now is to essentially be someone, kind of shining a positive light on the military, and almost recruiting in a way. That’s kind of my role right now.”

“And then whenever I’m playing, I’ll have the choice to go back active or not and serve a more, you know, kind of full-time role in the United States Marine Corps.”

Heidenreich explained that he is currently serving under a reserve contract with the United States Marine Corps while playing in the NFL. This means his military service time is counted while he plays football.

Because the Steelers drafted him, Heidenreich can now delay his military service and first play in the NFL. The Steelers’ draft allowed Heidenreich to delay service under a 10-year agreement. He even thanked both the Marine Corps and the Navy for giving him the chance to follow his dream of playing in the NFL before serving his country.

“I’m thankful that they gave me this opportunity,” Heidenreich said. “I initially committed to them for five years of service afterward, but they’re allowing me the opportunity to go out and pursue this football career first and give my service later. So, I’m thankful for that.”

Right now, Eli Heidenreich serves as a Marine Corps reservist, so he can continue his football career and still fulfill his military obligation at the same time. After his NFL career, he’ll choose between full-time active duty or another military role.

And he is not backing down from any of it. Serving the country is also a big part of his family. His grandfather, Chris Heidenreich, was a naval officer, and his uncle, Chip Heidenreich, served with the Marines as a corpsman.

By playing for the Steelers now and planning to serve later, Eli is following his family’s tradition while also living his dream of playing in the NFL.

Players who had the same journey as Eli Heidenreich

Joe Cardona is one example of a player who has had the same journey. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, and the New England Patriots selected him in the 2015 NFL Draft. Instead of leaving the military completely, Cardona continued serving as a U.S. Navy Reserve officer while playing in the NFL. During his rookie season, he even completed Navy duties on his days off.

There’s one player who had a very different path. The Dallas Cowboys drafted Roger Staubach in 1964, but he first completed his four-year active-duty service in the U.S. Navy, including a tour in Vietnam. Only after finishing his military commitment did he begin his NFL career with the Cowboys in 1969.

Heidenreich’s path is the opposite. He is already playing in the NFL while serving as a Marine Corps reservist. With the Steelers, he will get chances to contribute on offense and on special teams. His speed, agility, and all-around ability, which made him successful in the Navy, can help him on kickoff and punt teams. If he performs well there, he could earn a bigger role on offense as the season goes on.