The NFL Draft is all about the future of football. Those who hear their names called over the next few days on the Draft Stage in Pittsburgh will embark on a further future in the game.
They aren't the only ones with a bright football future though, thanks to a collaboration announced on Wednesday by a number of local and national organizations - including the Steelers – who are doing their part to give young athletes in the Pittsburgh region a positive start.
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.
"This new facility will be home to great competition, strong bonds and lifelong memories," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. "With the support of the NFL Foundation, the Steelers, through Steelers Charities, are once again demonstrating their commitment to community and legacy of excellence both on and off the field."
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."
U. S. Steel Community Field at Hazelwood Green is part of U. S. Steel's commitment to actively engage in the community and bring long-term benefits and vitality to Hazelwood, the neighboring Mon Valley and broader Pittsburgh area.
"For generations, U. S. Steel has been part of the Mon Valley and Pittsburgh," said U. S. Steel President and CEO David Burritt. "We're investing more than one billion dollars in Pennsylvania steelmaking, modernizing our operations, and building for the long term. And we're investing in our communities, too. This field is about building strong communities, where kids can play safely, neighbors can gather, and futures can take shape. Simply put: We're building more than steel. We're building Pennsylvania."
The site for U.S. Steel Community Field at Hazelwood Green is a former 178-acre industrial site, which is located along the Monongahela River. Hazelwood Green is a sustainable mixed-use redevelopment for showing Pittsburgh's leadership in robotics, biotech and advanced manufacturing through partnerships that include Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Innovation Center and the University of Pittsburgh's BioForge, which are complemented by efforts to expand community amenities and housing.
The transformation of the site has been led by site owner Almono LP, a partnership of the Richard King Mellon Foundation, The Heinz Endowments, and the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation. Tishman Speyer is the developer for the entire Hazelwood Green site.
"Today's announcement marks an important milestone in realizing the broader Hazelwood Green vision," said Sam Reiman, Director & Trustee of the Richard King Mellon Foundation. "Already a hub of innovation—with Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh—the new field, alongside the recently announced housing development, adds critical community infrastructure that brings economic opportunity and quality of life into alignment. We're proud to have played a role in a project that honors Hazelwood's past while strengthening its future."
"We are proud to partner with the Richard King Mellon Foundation, Hazelwood Green Youth Sports Charities, and Steelers Charities to bring this field to Hazelwood Green," said Tishman Speyer CEO, Rob Speyer. "It brings energy to the site and gives young people a place to play and build community."
U.S. Steel Community Field at Hazelwood Green will officially open in late summer this year, and feature a full-size athletic field with seating for approximately 3,000 fans, a press box and concession stand, with a park and paved plaza area for gatherings and events.
"Projects like this demonstrate what's possible when local organizations unite around a shared goal and work together to support communities in a holistic way," said Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato. "A high-quality, accessible field doesn't just support sports—it drives activity in the Hazelwood community, expands opportunities for local recreation and programming, and helps connect neighborhoods throughout our region."
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.
"Sports are important in Pittsburgh and youth sports provide young people with a safe opportunity to have fun, develop skills and be part of a team," said Corey O'Connor, Mayor of Pittsburgh. "We want Pittsburgh to be every family's first choice and that means collaboration to provide high quality recreation spaces for our youth and families. We are grateful for all of the partners in this project for your investment in bringing new opportunity for our local community here in Hazelwood and across the city."
The field will be the home field for the Hazelwood Cobras youth sports program, something that is welcomed by the community as a whole.
"Helping to strengthen the Hazelwood neighborhood is our mission and the Hazelwood Initiative was pleased to work alongside the project partners to ensure the voice of the community was reflected in this new state-of-the-art facility," said Sonya Tilghman, Executive Director of the Hazelwood Initiative, Inc. "We welcome the U. S. Steel Community Field to Hazelwood and celebrate what it represents for the children and families of our community – a safe, vibrant place to come together, grow, and dream."
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.
"Central Catholic is grateful to partner with the Richard King Mellon Foundation, Tishman Speyer, Hazelwood Green Youth Sports Charities and Steelers Charities on the U. S. Steel Community Field at Hazelwood Green, and to be among the first occupants," said Matthew Stoessel, President of Central Catholic High School. "This project reflects not only the exceptional quality of the facility and the strength of its partners, but also Central Catholic's nearly 100-year commitment to the Pittsburgh region, especially the Hazelwood community. With nearly 30% of our students coming from city neighborhoods, it was important for us to be part of an initiative that directly invests in the communities we serve. We are proud to build on our long-standing support for Pittsburgh families, expand access to a Central Catholic education, and create new opportunities for success both in the classroom and on the field. The future is bright, and we look forward to strengthening these connections for years to come."
In the future the field will gain use from colleges, universities, high schools, club and semi-professional teams across the tri-state region for sports and activities.
"When you look at it from the infancy stages, it's always difficult for people to envision what you're trying to do," said Steelers legend Charlie Batch, who was emcee of the ribbon cutting and is from Homestead, Pa., part of the Mon Valley area. "There was a vacant parcel, and now, with all the cleanup work and construction, it's a youth football field. It's an awesome time not just for the City of Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Hazelwood in general, and then when you see the announcement that Central Catholic High School football, who have been a dominant force for years but never truly had a home field, they will be playing there, it's amazing. I think it's going to be a great asset to the area and you're going to continue to see the growth in Hazelwood and beyond."
Following the ribbon cutting, 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.
More Details: Sports Facilities Companies (SFC), one of the nation's premier operators of sports and recreation venues, has been engaged to manage day-to-day operations, programming, and facility services for U. S. Steel Community Field at Hazelwood Green. SFC's operating plan focuses on maximizing community access, delivering high-quality experiences for local youth and families, and ensuring sustainable, year-round activation of this new asset for the Hazelwood and broader Pittsburgh community. SFC is actively promoting the field for rental opportunities and will work with local organizations and residents to develop a schedule for community use, including open field time, trainings, festivals, and other activities and events. For more details on the field including rental information, please visit www.ussteelcommunityfield.com.
About U. S. Steel
Founded in 1901, U. S. Steel delivers profitable and sustainable steel solutions. Propelled by its talented employees and an unwavering focus on safety, U. S. Steel serves the automotive, construction, appliance, energy, containers, and packaging industries with high value-added steel products. Steel production begins with our competitively advantaged iron ore production capabilities which fuel our integrated steelmaking facilities and investments in electric arc furnaces. To help our customers create the best products with the fewest emissions, we are committed to reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. U. S. Steel is at the forefront of creating steels that are stronger, lighter, and better for the environment. This includes our proprietary XG3® advanced high-strength steel, verdeX® steel produced with 70-80% lower CO2 emissions with a recycled content of up to 90%, and ultra-thin lightweight InduX™ steel for electric vehicles, generators, and transformers. U. S. Steel maintains operations across the United States and in Central Europe and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For more information, please visit www.ussteel.com and follow U. S. Steel on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and X.
About Richard King Mellon Foundation
About the Richard King Mellon Foundation: Founded in 1947, the Richard King Mellon Foundation is the largest foundation in Southwestern Pennsylvania, and one of the 50 largest in the world. The Foundation's 2025 year-end net assets were $3.3 billion, and its Trustees in 2025 disbursed more than $167 million in grants and program-related investments. The Foundation focuses its funding on six primary program areas, delineated in its 2021-2030 Strategic Plan.
About Tishman Speyer (tishmanspeyer.com)
Tishman Speyer is a leading owner, developer, operator and investment manager of first-class real estate in approximately 40 key markets across the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America. Our portfolio spans market rate and affordable residential communities, premier office properties and retail spaces, industrial and data center facilities, mixed-use campuses, and real estate credit investments. We create state-of-the-art life science centers through our Breakthrough Properties joint venture, and foster innovation through our strategic proptech investments. With global vision, on-the-ground expertise and a personalized approach, we foster innovation, quickly adapt to global and local trends and proactively anticipate our customers' evolving needs. By embedding health and wellness, enlightened placemaking, and customer-focused initiatives such as our tenant amenities platform, ZO, and our flexible space and co-working brand, Studio, into our buildings, we enhance the experience of the people who work and live there. Since our inception in 1978, Tishman Speyer has acquired, developed, and operated 594 properties, totaling 240 million square feet, with a combined value of approximately $137 billion (U.S.). Our current portfolio includes such iconic assets as Rockefeller Center in New York City, The Springs in Shanghai, TaunusTurm in Frankfurt, and the Mission Rock neighborhood currently being realized in San Francisco.
About Hazelwood Green Youth Sports Charities
Hazelwood Green Youth Sports Charities is a Pennsylvania non-profit corporation formed to develop the Community Field at Hazelwood Green.
About Steelers Charities
Steelers Charities serves as the philanthropic arm of the Pittsburgh Steelers, supporting tax-exempt public charities focused on youth football, social justice, health, and education. Through initiatives such as the Art Rooney Scholarship Fund, 50/50 raffles, and the Social Justice Fund, Steelers Charities is committed to strengthening communities across the Pittsburgh region.
