Pitt Just Got Acrisure Stadium Upgrade

PITTSBURGH — The Pitt Panthers have announced several changes to Acrisure Stadium this offseason, such as reducing the capacity by roping off nearly 17,000 seats.

But this new change to Acrisure Stadium is one that every fan of Pittsburgh be it the Panthers or the Steelers alike can get behind.

Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported on Feb. 26 that the president of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Art Rooney, announced that Acrisure Stadium turf will be resurfaced for the 2026 season.

The new playing surface will consist of Tahoma 31 Bermuda, a mixture of Bermuda and bluegrass, which is cold-tolerant and is known for its durability and recovery. Tahoma 31 Bermuda is currently used by the Philadelphia Eagles and the Chicago Bears at their respective home venues, along with several golf courses and even the lawn of the U.S. Capitol. Acrisure Stadium's previous playing surface was made up of Kentucky bluegrass, and received complaints for being too sandy, slippery or even gooey.

What This Means for Pitt

Oct 25, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers cheerleaders celebrate a third quarter score against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Pitt was blamed for most playing surface difficulties during the 2025 NCAA and NFL seasons, because the Panthers played the day before the Steelers in several cases. It sparked conversations about whether the Panthers should have their own stadium.

After some controversy about the stadium capacity reduction exclusively for Pitt home games, not receiving any more criticism regarding the stadium would be a welcome change for Pitt fans.

The height of the field's criticism came after the Steelers' Oct. 12 game against the Cleveland Browns when kicker Chris Boswell missed a field goal when his foot slipped on the grass, and Miles Killebrew suffered a season-ending knee injury.

Pitt had an away game that week, and last played the week prior against Boston College.

However, Dulac warned that if the Tahoma 31 Bermuda grass is not planted early enough for "deep root penetration," this surface can also become slippery. This was the case with the 2023 Super Bowl in Glendale Ariz. with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Typically, Pitt is the first team to play a game in Acrisure Stadium, excluding the NFL preseason games. Pitt also holds inner-squad scrimmages at Acrisure Stadium in August.

The 2026 season begins with Pitt hosting Miami (Ohio) in Acrisure Stadium on Sept. 5. The Steelers' schedule has not been released yet.

The new playing surface will be tested early in the season. Pitt plays four consecutive home games from Sept. 5 to Sept. 26. However, the Panthers' schedule is more staggered this season, with two weeknight home games.

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