Steelers' Art Rooney Explains Layout for Pittsburgh Draft

Pittsburgh Steelers Owner Art Rooney II spoke about how the 2026 NFL Draft, which the city will host, is going to look.

Nov 13, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers chairman Art Rooney II gestures on the field before the Steelers host the New Orleans Saints at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- The city of Pittsburgh will serve as the host for the 2026 NFL Draft and Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II played a major role in landing the deal.

The NFL Draft originally took place in New York City from 1965 to 2014, but the NFL chose to start moving the draft between different cities.

This includes Chicago, Philadelphia, Arlington, Texas and Nashville from 2015-19. After the COVID-19 virtual NFL Draft, Cleveland hosted in 2021, then Las Vegas, Kansas City, Mo. and Detroit this past April. Green Bay, Wis. will host the NFL Draft in 2025.

Planning for the 2026 NFL Draft is something that countless people will work on and one of the most important discussions will take place on where in Pittsburgh it will take place.

Rooney, along with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato, City of Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and VisitPITTSBURGH President & CEO Jerad Bachar spoke on their excitement about landing the draft and what it will do for the local economy in an introductory press conference Thursday afternoon at Acrisure Stadium.

Discussions with the league on the exact layout will continue, according to Rooney, but that he knows where they will set up the stage for the weekend.

"I think we're still finalizing the actual footprint of where the stage will be, but I assure you, it will be right out this window, pretty close to where we are today and then there will be activities really across the North Shore and into Downtown into Point State Park," Rooney said.

The location that Rooney referred to was Art Rooney Ave, which is outside Suite B at Acrisure Stadium.

He also references multiple points across Pittsburgh, along the North Shore, where the Pittsburgh Pirates play, downtown where there are many places to eat and find different forms of entertainment, and Point State Park, which is the confluence of the the three rivers, Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio, featuing a picturesque fountain and beautiful views.

Rooney will work with the other members on the panel, government officials, the NFL and many more as they try to host the most-attended event in Pittsburgh's history.

"When you're trying to host this many people, you're going to have to have plenty of room and places for them to sleep and eat and drink and park. So it'll be a massive effort accomodate all the needs of our guests that we get and it'll spread out all over the city and probably all over the county."

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