Marine Officers Make NFL Rosters
PHOTO CAPTION: Navy defensive lineman Landon Robinson attempts a tackle during the 125th Army-Navy Game in Landover, Maryland, Dec. 14, 2024. Robinson, now a Marine second lieutenant, has earned a spot on the Cincinnati Bengals’ 53-man roster. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Deonte Rowell)
Two newly commissioned Marine Corps officers have beaten long odds to earn spots on NFL 53-man rosters just months after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy.
Second Lt. Landon Robinson made the Cincinnati Bengals’ final roster, while Second Lt. Eli Heidenreich earned a spot with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Both graduated from the Naval Academy in May, commissioned into the Marine Corps and were selected in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Robinson, a defensive tackle, was selected by Cincinnati with the 226th overall pick. The former Navy standout was the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2025 and earned first-team All-America honors before entering the draft.
Heidenreich went four picks later at No. 230 to his hometown Steelers. Pittsburgh lists him as a running back/wide receiver, reflecting the versatility he showed at Navy as a runner, receiver and special-teams player.
Both entered training camp with little margin for error. Seventh-round selections routinely fight simply to survive final cuts, but Robinson and Heidenreich each secured one of the 53 spots their teams will carry into the regular season.
Their paths also carry an unusual military wrinkle.
Current law allows a limited number of service-academy graduates pursuing professional sports to delay their normal active-duty obligation while they compete professionally. Robinson and Heidenreich remain Marine officers, and when their NFL careers end they are required to return and complete their military service obligation.
That arrangement reverses the path traditionally followed by some of the best-known service-academy athletes. Former Army officer Alejandro Villanueva served multiple combat tours before beginning his NFL career, while Naval Academy graduate David Robinson served in the Navy before becoming an NBA Hall of Famer.
Robinson and Heidenreich already provided flashes of their military background during the preseason. Naval Academy officials highlighted Robinson saluting after a Bengals sack and Heidenreich doing the same after scoring a touchdown for Pittsburgh.
The two could even face each other this month. Cincinnati is scheduled to travel to Pittsburgh on Sept. 27, potentially putting the former Navy teammates and newly commissioned Marines on opposite NFL sidelines.
Sources: Cincinnati Bengals; Pittsburgh Steelers; NFL; U.S. Naval Academy; Task & Purpose
(Source: OAF Nation)
