Gritty and tough, Dippre is built in the mode of Steelers Persona

by Bo Marchionte
Published February 27, 2025, 0:237 PM

Indianapolis, IN – CJ Dippre has never been the underdog. From the time he first picked up a football, he was the biggest player on the field. Not just among his peers, but even among athletes’ years older than him. It was a reality that shaped his journey to the 2025 NFL Draft, pushing him to mature quickly and embrace the challenge of playing up to his size and potential.

“So, I was always bigger than anybody really around, not even my grade, but arrow,” Dippre said at the NFL Combine. “You know, when I went to my high school, it was seventh through 12th grade. When I was in seventh grade, I was still bigger than all the seniors and stuff like that. So, you know, you just got to kind of endure that role. I would try to hang out with maybe older people, just so I didn’t open myself up to hanging out with little kids or something like that. And, yeah, I kind of grew into that role.”

That role was never a fixed one. In high school, Dippre wasn’t just a tight end—he was an athlete in every sense of the word. Playing quarterback, tight end, and defensive end, he was recruited at multiple positions before deciding that tight end was his best path to the NFL. His ability to adapt to different roles on the field spoke to both his physical talent and his understanding of the game.

“I played quarterback all throughout high school. You know, I got recruited as quarterback, tight end, defensive end, and stuff like that. So mainly, like an athlete, athlete role,” he continued. “And, you know, I thought my best chance to get to the next level was to transition to tight end.”

That decision paid off. Dippre would play at Maryland between 2021-22 prior transferring to Alabama for the duration of his collegiate career. At the University of Alabama, Dippre refined his game, becoming a reliable target and a physical presence in the run game. Now, standing in front of NFL scouts, he isn’t just a big athlete anymore. He’s a polished tight end ready to make the jump to the pros.

A native of Scranton, Pennsylvania, Dippre cheered for the Steelers, his father cheered for Pittsburgh. Both Steelers fan, he inherited more than just his love for football from his father and embraced a passion for strength and discipline.

“My dad was a powerlifter, you know, high state championship class and stuff like that. He played football at UConn,” Dippre said. “So, like, when I go home, that’s what we do. For me, it’s like, ‘Oh, wait, we go to the gym.’ That’s kind of our thing. He’s big into fitness—still lifts every day, still sends me all his videos, all his workouts, stuff like that.”

But it wasn’t just any home gym. It was their Iron Church.

“Yeah, we had an Iron Church, which, you know, was a full, full weight room in the basement,” Dippre said. “That’s where it all started. Just me and my dad, grinding, lifting, pushing ourselves. It was more than just a gym. It was a mindset.”

The Iron Church became a foundation, a sacred space where strength was built. Not just in muscle, but in mentality. It instilled in Dippre the work ethic that would carry him through his football career, mirroring the blue-collar toughness of his hometown and the team he grew up rooting for.

“I grew up a Steelers fan,” Dippre said from the podium at the NFL Combine. “So, like, I watched (Pat) Freiermuth a lot obviously, you know. (George) Kittle and (Travis) Kelce along with other big names. I’m a Mark Andrews fan too, from Baltimore.”

For Dippre, size was never the challenge. It was about finding the right way to use it. And as he prepares for the next step in his football career, one thing is clear, he’s still playing bigger than his age.