The NFL draft, conducted every April, consists of seven rounds of teams picking (what they hope are) the next best players in the league. A total of 257 picks happen and each one is equally important as some of the NFL’s best players can come in later rounds. Tom Brady, Deacon Jones, Roger Staubach, and many others are NFL Hall of Famers that were picked in late rounds. Some Hall of Famers go undrafted and are picked up in free agency, like Steelers legend James Harrison.
This April, the draft will occur in Green Bay, Wisconsin at the famous Lambeau Field and in Green Bay’s Title Town district. With big-name college players, such as Travis Hunter, Shedeur Sanders, Abdul Carter, and hundreds more, this year’s draft will be entertaining and impactful.
But in 2026, the NFL draft will take place here in Pittsburgh. This is a three-day event that will have a huge impact on our city. The NFL draft is projected to be one of the biggest events in Pittsburgh history.
In 2024, the NFL draft brought in about 800,000 people to watch and take part in the draft experience. Out of those 800,000, about 30% came from over 100 miles away. That will make roughly 240,000 people coming from over 100 miles away to the city of Pittsburgh.
The NFL draft is known as the “ultimate fan festival” by many, giving fans chances to cash in on once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Many players travel to the draft to walk up on stage when they are picked, and these players usually participate in other fan activities throughout the span of the draft.
Also, exclusive merchandise is made available for fans at merchandise tents and many other places.
However, a nation’s worth of football fans in the city of Pittsburgh at one time raises red flags for the safety and security of the city.
Traffic will certainly be a concern. Also, the presence of such an enormous crowd may cause many safety issues.
With the recent New Year’s Eve attacks in New Orleans Pittsburgh, law enforcement realized that the NFL draft could be a huge target for an attack. Pittsburgh Public Safety stated, “ The New Year’s Day incident will influence how Pittsburgh police, with local and federal law enforcement partners, prepare for next year’s draft. They are still in the planning stages with the NFL, law enforcement, and previous host cities to prepare.”
Pa State Senator Jay Costa stated,” I do have confidence, with the NFL draft, that they are considering all these precautions and safety measures.”
Of course, an enormous benefit to hosting the NFL draft is the economic gain that the Pittsburgh region will experience. In 2024 in Detroit, the draft’s economic impact was 213.6 million for the city.
From packed restaurants to fully booked hotels to skyrocketing memorabilia and jersey sales, the 2026 NFL draft will be historic for the city of Pittsburgh, and the Steel City itself will be the center of the national sports media’s attention.
