Sep 27, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Eli Holstein (10) warms up before the game against the Louisville Cardinals at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Pitt QB Named to Service Award Watch List

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Panthers on SI
By Owen Lenson | Last updated Sep 30, 2025 2:00 PM ET

It has been a rough week for Pitt Panthers football and their starting quarterback Eli Holstein after losing to Louisville, their second loss of the season and first in ACC play.

In some good news for the Panthers, Holstein has been recognized for his service actions by being named to the 2025 The Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award watch list. The Jason Witten award is given to the collegiate football player that shows leadership on and off the field.

Jason Witten is a former professional tight end who won the 2012 NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year.

As a redshirt sophomore in just his second year with Pitt, Holstein partnered with UPMC Children's Hospital to launch the "JJ and Eli's Fight Fund". The fund helps pediatric transplant patients and their families as they deal with the time and financial burdens of staying in a hospital.

The "JJ' in the name represents a young girl named Julia Espinosa, a multi-organ transplant recipient. Holstein shaved his head to show support for what she was going throw.

More than football @Pitt_FB QB @eli_holstein10 shaved his head alongside transplant patient Julia, leading with compassion and perspective.#NCAAFB | https://t.co/8QeYjpyHqD pic.twitter.com/hMrGxeE7UE
— NCAA (@NCAA) June 12, 2025

The fund kickstarted with Pitt's season opener against Duquesne. Holstein donated $10,000 to start the campaign, which was matched by head coach Pat Narduzzi.

Ben Queen-Imagn Images

Now standing with a 2-2 record, the Panthers are coming off another rough week of football. After a costly interception, Narduzzi made the tough choice of actually benching Holstein and putting in senior backup Cole Gonzalez. Narduzzi has already said that Holstein will play start next week.

Pitt's next opponent will be Boston College, who are coming to Pittsburgh with a 1-3 record following a loss to Cal. Boston College is a team that Pitt should be favored to beat by a decent amount, so it will be interesting to see how the Panthers bounce back. Potentially getting star running back Desmond Reid back would also help.

The week after playing Boston College, the Panthers will fly down to Tallahasse to play Florida State, a team that is seen as one of the best in the ACC.

Through four games, Pitt football has been disappointing to a lot of fans. The Jason Witten award is a good reminder of what is bigger than just the game of football. Despite the discourse around his football play, it's without a doubt that Holstein has used his platform to benefit the Pittsburgh community.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Panthers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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