NFL Draft 2026: A chaotic day fitting for NFL, city of Pittsburgh
Even before Thursday’s draft chaos, there was uncertainty over what to expect.
With conflicting reports from local media over the reliability of attendance projections from the NFL, the city and the state; hotel availability a week out and potential traffic armageddon, none of us there on behalf of the Eagle knew what we were in for.
But according to the National Football League (which should always be taken with a grain of salt), Day 1 of the NFL Draft saw 320,000 people attend, smashing the previous record (Pittsburgh’s residential population is about 310,000).
It was among the most hectic days I’ve seen in the city of Pittsburgh. It was also a day the city, Allegheny County and the state of Pennsylvania had spent years planning for.
Rounds two through seven last through Friday and Saturday. But Day 1 tends to be when the most drama happens. While navigating the event and witnessing what turned out to be a fascinating first round, Day 1’s chaos felt very fitting. Not only for the city and the Pittsburgh Steelers, but for an organization as powerful and controversial as the National Football League.
Even at Point State Park, across the river from the draft stage and main events, we waited in a line to enter the draft campus that stretched down Liberty Avenue. We were not the only ones who didn’t fully realize the gates did not open until noon, something others told us they felt could have been more well-advertised.
We were also surprised to see the NFL OnePass app and registration — said to be needed to get in anywhere — was no longer important. Not once did we have to have our barcodes scanned to get in. This checked out, given the curious nature of security tightness early on.
Many visitors said they felt safe, both in the draft area and in the city. The Coast Guard shut down the rivers near Downtown and helicopters were frequently overhead. But when I asked multiple security workers at the gate if things were running smoothly, they told me each time: “No.”
Beer flowed and flowed some more. Merchandise was bought and fans took on 40-yard dashes and field goal challenges, immersing themselves in the game with fan activities. Meanwhile, what felt like every reporter and social media figure from Western Pennsylvania to the West Coast lurked, finding fans to share their experiences and their hopes for who their team would select.
The NFL Draft is made for the current media ecosystem. That much was clear the entire day.
One minute, I’m making eye contact with ESPN’s Kirk Herbstriet, walking through the draft with his security detail. I then look up and see characters from the Pat McAfee show prepping on their setup, across the lot from the draft stage. I could turn in any direction and immediately find a TikToker or social media influencer filming their content, somehow with better credentials than various local newspapers.
The beautiful celebration of football, and of Pittsburgh, lasted all day. It was unsurprising to see those among the hundreds of thousands who kept the paramedics busy with illness and heat exhaustion, with highs reaching near 80 degrees and little cloud coverage. Point State Park provides little tree coverage, while much of the North Shore is a giant, open concrete lot.
And while there were vendors galore, much of it felt like a typical, overpriced sporting event. The National Football League made $23 billion in revenue last year. It charged fans $19.50 for four chicken tenders and fries of mediocre quality. Most vendors charged the same price for a single Bud Light.
Amid navigating the crowd, we Butler Eagle writers had no idea how lucky we’d be. Maybe two groups of people came in behind us in line when we reentered the draft theater area less than an hour before the first pick and the gates were closed. The theater area was “at capacity.”
Thousands of people behind us could not get in and were redirected to the “overflow area” inside of Acrisure Stadium.
I don’t know what we did to be so fortunate. We could only look back in disbelief as fans behind us — some who traveled across the country — came to the realization they’d been shut out from the main event. I’m not sure this was something fans realized could happen. Again — could have this been better communicated?
There was some minor fluctuation in where certain players ended up getting drafted, compared to where they were projected. Edge rusher David Bailey at two, running back Jeremiyah Love at three, linebacker Arvell Reese at five, safety Caleb Downs at 11, among others. The big one was quarterback Tyler Simpson of Alabama going 13th overall to the Los Angeles Rams — stunning the crowd and easing Steelers fans’ concerns their team would draft him.
But staying with the theme of chaos, it made sense there’d be drama over the Steelers’ pick. Reportedly, they were zoned in on wide receiver Makai Lemon, who the Eagles drafted at 20th. Caught off guard at 21, and supposedly unprepared, the Steelers drafted offensive tackle Max Iheanachor of Arizona State, drawing minimal reaction from the crowd. On the ground, most did not know who he was.
There have been other reports the Steelers think highly of Iheanachor and had him high on their draft boards; but in an era where fans frequently question the leadership of owner Art Rooney II, and where the team’s failure to win a playoff game since 2016 has resulted in coach Mike Tomlin’s ousting, maybe it shouldn’t be surprising when the selection process doesn’t go smoothly.
After all this, it was unsurprising that leaving was perhaps the most chaotic and unorganized part of the day. When the driver from Pittsburgh Regional Transit told us we had to get off at Steel Plaza, we were not given a reasonable explanation why. The $70 Uber ride home made too much sense.
In all, Day 1 was a success. We celebrated America’s game and the region of Western Pennsylvania. I was glad to see Pittsburgh shine bright and to see so many from out of town enjoy the experience. And while we should applaud the efforts by local officials to pull this off, I also feel we could question what more could be done by our leaders.
Zach Zimmerman is an Eagle staff writer.
