The 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh was a record breaking one, with an all-time attendance record set with 805,000 fans attending over three days.

Included in the number of fans, there were over 600,000 fans in the first two days, with records broken for each of those days as well.

The week was a memorable one for people from the Pittsburgh region and visitors from across the country and all over the globe. And whether you were there in person or watching it from the comfort of home, Pittsburgh was shining brightly the entire time.

Steelers legends share the stage

There were plenty of Steelers legends taking the stage during the three days of the NFL Draft, including those who participated in the Opening Moment before Round 1 of the Draft.

Pro Football Hall of Famers Mel Blount, Terry Bradshaw and Lynn Swann, along with legends Ben Roethlisberger and Hines Ward and current players Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt all participated in the epic moment.

"It was an honor to be asked to do it," said Roethlisberger. "With the rich tradition and history of the players that have come before me, and I've gotten the pleasure to play with, to be included in that group is just humbling and it's such an honor."

Other former and current Steelers players, and others with ties to Pittsburgh, took part in announcing the Steelers draft picks over the three days of the Draft.

Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis announced the Steelers No. 1 pick, while fellow Hall of Famer John Stallworth announced the second-round pick. Stallworth was joined on stage by Jessica Nunn, the granddaughter of legendary Steelers scout Bill Nunn, who was honored during the Draft. Joey Porter Sr., Joey Porter Jr., Charlie Batch, Will Allen, Zach Frazier and Heyward also announced, some of them accompanied by community organizations.

"To be able to announce the first-round pick in this city, it was a special moment that I didn't take lightly," said Bettis. "Of all the great players that have played for this historic franchise, for them to ask me to do it is special."

Pittsburgh native and award-winning actor Michael Keaton, Steelers 2025 International Fan of the Year Sascha Denzinger, and former Borussia Dortmund soccer star Patrick Owomoyela also helped make selections.

Memorable moments

Over the three days of the NFL Draft, the Draft Theater and Stage hosted memorable moments, including Steelers draft picks Max Iheanachor, Germie Bernard, Drew Allar, Daylen Everette and Gennings Dunker waving Terrible Towels to a hyped-up crowd.

Western Pennsylvania's football legends were introduced on night two of the Draft, and on the final day, the Steelers honored Western Pennsylvania Hall of Famers and their local high schools with commemorative helmets.

One of the most memorable moments happened in the seventh round of the Draft, when the Steelers selected Pittsburgh-area native Eli Heidenreich, who was on hand in the green room in his Naval Academy dress uniform. An emotional Heidenreich took the stage with Commissioner Roger Goodell and set the crowd into a frenzy.

Welcome to 'Steelers Country'

Steelers fans were treated to a 12,000-square foot interactive landing spot in Point State Park, where there was something for fans of all ages.

The team hosted their live Steelers Draft Countdown Show, presented by UPMC, on Thursday and Friday evenings, featuring special guests, including Hall of Fame receiver John Stallworth.

Steelers Country was the place where fans could see oversized replicas of the Super Bowl rings, the team's Super Bowl trophies, and enjoy Steelers traditions such as a fan cave and Steelers bar. Hundreds of thousands of fans visited Steelers Country over the three days of the Draft.

Lighting up the 'Burgh

During the three nights of the NFL Draft, a large-scale light projection on the Wyndham Hotel shined brightly with real-time 'On the Clock' team-specific draft selections giving fans information on picks.

The nightly show spotlighted the 2026 NFL Draft top prospects and picks, Western Pennsylvania's Hall of Fame football legacy, the Steelers storied history as six-time Super Bowl champions and home of the legendary Steel Curtain.

Powered by 24 laser projectors delivering 768,000 lumens of light across 41,000 square feet of projection surface, the display was viewable from the public viewing area at Point State Park.

U.S. Steel Community Field at Hazelwood Green

Steelers President Art Rooney II, Steelers Vice President of Business Development & Strategy Dan Rooney, General Manager Omar Khan, Coach Mike McCarthy, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and U.S. Steel CEO David Burritt were on hand, along with other dignitaries, for the ribbon cutting of the U.S. Steel Community Field at Hazelwood Green, a new multipurpose field which was designed to provide recreation, sports, and community space for the Hazelwood community, adjacent Mon Valley and residents across the Pittsburgh area.

The field was developed in collaboration with the Richard King Mellon Foundation, Tishman Speyer, Hazelwood Green Youth Sports Charities and Steelers Charities. The project is made possible by a $10.8 million grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, with additional support from Hazelwood Green Youth Sports Charities, Steelers Charities, Central Catholic High School and the NFL Foundation.

"Football has always been more than a game in Western Pennsylvania — it's part of the fabric of our communities," said Art Rooney, II, President of Steelers Charities. "The field allows us to honor generations of families who built this region's football tradition and carry that spirit forward across the wide variety of sports that will be played on this new field. We are proud to help create a place where youth from Hazelwood and across all of Pittsburgh can learn, grow, and experience the confidence, pride and belonging that come from playing team sports."

Among the events that can be held include youth football games, flag football games, high school football, soccer, lacrosse, field hockey and rugby. Steelers Youth Football camps and flag football camps will also be held there. The field will be the home field for the Hazelwood Cobras youth sports program, something that is welcomed by the community as a whole. In addition, Central Catholic High School will use the field for varsity and junior varsity football practice and home games and soccer home games as well as other sports.

Fun on the Field

Following the ribbon cutting of U.S. Steel Community Field at Hazelwood Green, there was an NFL Play Football Prospects Clinic, featuring the college players in town for the draft. The players conducted drills for youth from Special Olympics and the Hazelwood Cobras.

In addition, the Steelers hosted a youth football clinic on Day 1 of the NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium, featuring drills conducted by Steelers legends. On hand to teach kids from the Pittsburgh area were Charlie Batch, Santonio Holmes and Willie Parker.

Girls Flag Football was highlighted during a showcase of the best in the Pittsburgh region. A total of 80 local high school players participated in a Combine-style workout, with college coaches on hand, to demonstrate their skills on the Play Football Field at the NFL Draft Experience at Acrisure Stadium.

Caring for the Community

The NFL Draft was about football first and foremost, but giving back was also an important aspect. Throughout the week of the Draft, the Steelers and the NFL hosted community events, giving back to various endeavors.

Steelers legends Charlie Batch and Arthur Moats, along with Steelers Vice President of Business Development & Strategy Dan Rooney, took part in the Character Playbook Speaker Series x NFL FLAG-In-School PLAY 60 Champions Event at Duquesne City School District, which recognized the connection between positive physical fitness and mental health. The event also marked the kickoff of NFL FLAG-In-School PLAY 60 Champions with a special NFL FLAG-In-School skills and drills clinic, in collaboration with the NFL Foundation and national nonprofits GENYOUth and Action for Healthy Kids.

Inspire Change, the NFL's social justice initiative to reduce barriers to opportunity, brought together the NFL, Steelers and local partners to address homelessness in the greater Pittsburgh area. The event featured a care kit packing activity in support of Pittsburgh Mercy's Operation Safety Net and Light of Life Rescue Mission, followed by a mentorship session with youth from the Homeless Children's Education Fund. Steelers Vice President of Business Development & Strategy Dan Rooney and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell were joined by Steelers players at the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank to pack kits for the homeless and those in need in the region.

Linebacker Alex Highsmith and legend Charlie Batch took part in a Social Justice Town Hall at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center that offered an inside look at how players have made a difference in their communities, and helped discover how they can pay it forward through advocacy, activism, and community leadership.

Putting a bow on it

At the conclusion of the 2026 NFL Draft, Steelers Vice President of Business Development and Strategy Dan Rooney handed the ball off for the 2027 NFL Draft to Washington Commanders legend Mark Rypien. Washington, D.C. will host next year's Draft, including events in the National Mall area.

The crowd had plenty to entertain them throughout the Draft, including concerts by Pittsburgh-area natives Wiz Khalifa and Bret Michaels, and country music superstar Kane Brown, who closed out the Draft.