2026 Pittsburgh
NFL Draft

A warm, sunny Friday afternoon saw many out-of-towners visiting Pittsburgh — some for the first time. Whether they flew in from Hawaii or drove in from Eastern Ohio, a few are already planning return trips to “this wonderful, little city” where trees are abundant and houses are built on hills.  

Pittsburgh is like Narnia

Joe Montero was smitten with the city and he’s not even a Steelers Fan. 

Montero came to experience the NFL Draft with his 17-year-old son from Lake Ariel, Pennsylvania. 

Pittsburgh, to Montero, felt like Narnia or something from the Harry Potter world, with its skyline and classical architecture. He loved the cliffs, the incline and the distinctive Aztec gold bridges.

“It is a very unique place,” he said. “I cannot believe the sheer enormity of it.”

NFL Elite Super Fans play poker

Brothers Hector and Eduardo Hernandez flew into Pittsburgh from Texas. They are both members of the NFL Elite Super Fans club and have attended all nine NFL Drafts since 2017. 

They said they loved how the draft was set up in Pittsburgh, and the many experiences the city has to offer. Their personal favorites: dining at Mike’s Beer Bar on the North Shore and participating in a poker tournament at Cupka’s Cafe on the South Side, where they met a few other Elite Super Fans.

Houses on hills surprising for some

Pittsburgh took Miami Dolphins fans Jose and Sarah Collazo by surprise. The couple is from Fresno, California, and did not expect to see a bustling city built into the steep hills of Western Pennsylvania. 

“California has a lot of mountains but no one lives on it,” Jose said. “People usually live in the valleys.”

Jose, an NFL enthusiast, goes to the draft every year to see stadiums and players in different cities. Sarah loves the sightseeing experiences that each trip presents. They enjoyed taking the incline and dining at Kelly O’s Diner. 

Pittsburgh is green and warm

It was the first visit to Pittsburgh for Phoenix resident Monica Blendowski and her brother, Jeremy Gutierrez, who lives in Hawaii. The two were visiting their friend Eric Bearfield in Youngstown, Ohio, and made the 65-mile drive to attend the draft.

They said they loved the greenery sprinkled throughout the city and would consider a return trip when the football crowds have left town. And they won’t forget their first glimpse of the city after emerging from the tunnel on the drive in. It was like “turning a corner and then suddenly seeing all of Pittsburgh,” Bearfield said.

Gutierrez enjoyed the sunny day and the clear skies, while Blendowski wished for a little rain to make it feel different from the desert-like Phoenix. 

A birthday trip

High school senior Kelsey Hedson came to Pittsburgh to celebrate the birthday of her best friend Lindsay Hernandez, who is from Greensburg. 

She said Pittsburgh felt a little bit like New York, without the bustle. Hedson and Hernandez are not sports fans; they’re in it for the party snacks. After the draft, they plan to have a birthday dinner at LeMont in Mount Washington and take in the city views.

Hedson said the parking rates were “a little absurd,” but she was fine with it if it’s a one-time thing and would definitely visit the city again. 

Did not visit for the draft

Mary Slattery lives in Williamsport and has been to Pittsburgh at least 15 times. She was in town this weekend to participate in the Pancreatic Cancer Walk.

“The draft just happened to be there,” she said. 

Her favorite activity in Pittsburgh is to walk around Point State Park and visit the Phipps Conservatory. 

Same old Pittsburgh

Allison Woodland and Dylan Menzel came to Pittsburgh with their three children from Kansas. 

Woodland liked how clean the city was and found the bus system very efficient. She was excited to show her kids the Point State Park fountain, the Children’s Museum and the National Aviary (though the latter two were running on different hours during the draft). 

Menzel lived in Pittsburgh around 2012 and did not think the city changed at all. 

“It’s still the same old Pittsburgh that I love and it’s great to be back,” he said. 

‘Chaotic’ transportation for Pittsburgh newcomers 

Brandon McKinzie and Alex Finster of Orlando arrived yesterday morning by plane for the draft.

They described their time in Pittsburgh as “awesome” — marked by eating sweet treats at Oakmont Bakery and taking in the city’s architecture. A few issues Thursday night with the city’s transportation system caused some frustration, though. 

“Getting here was alright, but trying to leave was chaos,” McKinzie said. 

Before their trip ends Saturday afternoon, they plan on fully immersing themselves in the city with visits to the Heinz History Center and the Andy Warhol Museum.

Energetic draft experience 

Christian and Randy Villegas, two Texan residents supporting the Detroit Lions, remarked on Pittsburgh’s “calm, cool and collected” atmosphere.

Until they leave Saturday afternoon, they plan on attending further draft events. 

“We’re enjoying every second of it,” Randy said. “The energy, the crowd, the fan bases going wild — it’s just a great experience to be part of.”

Pittsburgh is a ‘wonderful, little city’

Erica and Chris Kackley drove three hours from their home in West Virginia to take part in their first draft experience. 

Chris said the event marked his first dedicated stop in the area, beside layovers in the airport. The couple has enjoyed their time in Pittsburgh  — a “wonderful little city” — despite a hiccup with finding their car in the parking garage Friday night. 

The two were impressed by the city’s dense layout, at least compared to West Virginia. 

“Sometimes, where we’re from, you have to drive, you know, 15, 20 minutes across town to go do something across town,” Chris said. “But it seems like you guys walk across the bridge, and it’s like everything is just right in this little area here.”

The visit has been so positive for the couple that they’ve already planned a return later in the year for a Steelers game. This time, they’ll have a full itinerary for Pittsburgh landmarks to visit. 

Lajja Mistry is the K-12 education reporter at Pittsburgh’s Public Source. She can be reached at lajja@publicsource.org.

Jamese Platt is an editorial intern and can be reached at jamese@publicsource.org.

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Pittsburgh wows NFL Draft visitors who didn’t know what to expect

by Lajja Mistry and Jamese Platt, Pittsburgh's Public Source
April 24, 2026

<h1>Pittsburgh wows NFL Draft visitors who didn’t know what to expect</h1> <p class="byline">by Lajja Mistry and Jamese Platt, Pittsburgh's Public Source <br />April 24, 2026</p> <p>A warm, sunny Friday afternoon saw many out-of-towners visiting Pittsburgh — some for the first time. Whether they flew in from Hawaii or drove in from Eastern Ohio, a few are already planning return trips to “this wonderful, little city” where trees are abundant and houses are built on hills.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pittsburgh-is-like-narnia">Pittsburgh is like Narnia</h2> <p>Joe Montero was smitten with the city and he’s not even a Steelers Fan.&nbsp;</p> <p>Montero came to experience the NFL Draft with his 17-year-old son from Lake Ariel, Pennsylvania.&nbsp;</p> <p>Pittsburgh, to Montero, felt like Narnia or something from the Harry Potter world, with its skyline and classical architecture. He loved the cliffs, the incline and the distinctive Aztec gold bridges.</p> <p>“It is a very unique place,” he said. “I cannot believe the sheer enormity of it.”</p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://www.publicsource.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/NFL-Draft_AJ-27.jpg" alt="Three young men in football jerseys sit on the ground in front of a metal barricade, making hand signs and smiling. A man stands behind the barricade. The sky is partly cloudy." class="wp-image-1332035" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Fans sit in front of the NFL Draft Stage on Pittsburgh's North Shore prior to the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23. (Photo by Alex Jurkuta/Pittsburgh’s Public Source)</figcaption></figure> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nfl-elite-super-fans-play-poker">NFL Elite Super Fans play poker</h2> <p>Brothers Hector and Eduardo Hernandez flew into Pittsburgh from Texas. They are both members of the NFL Elite Super Fans club and have attended all nine NFL Drafts since 2017.&nbsp;</p> <p>They said they loved how the draft was set up in Pittsburgh, and the many experiences the city has to offer. Their personal favorites: dining at Mike’s Beer Bar on the North Shore and participating in a poker tournament at Cupka’s Cafe on the South Side, where they met a few other Elite Super Fans.</p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://www.publicsource.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/NFL-Draft_AJ-2-1.jpg" alt="Two men stand outside a street vendor selling Pittsburgh Steelers merchandise, including shirts and hats, displayed on tables and racks in front of a building." class="wp-image-1332033" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Fans look at a table outside of The PG Shanty Shop in Downtown Pittsburgh on Apr. 23. (Photo by Alex Jurkuta/Pittsburgh’s Public Source)</figcaption></figure> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-houses-on-hills-surprising-for-some">Houses on hills surprising for some</h2> <p>Pittsburgh took Miami Dolphins fans Jose and Sarah Collazo by surprise. The couple is from Fresno, California, and did not expect to see a bustling city built into the steep hills of Western Pennsylvania.&nbsp;</p> <p>“California has a lot of mountains but no one lives on it,” Jose said. “People usually live in the valleys.”</p> <div class="wp-block-columns alignwide"> <div class="wp-block-column" style="flex-basis:30%"> <div style="height:1px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> </p></div> <div class="wp-block-column" style="flex-basis:35%"> <div data-campaign-id="21017" id="__clipara-embed" style="width:100%"></div> </p></div> <div class="wp-block-column" style="flex-basis:30%"> <div style="height:1px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> </p></div> </p></div> <div style="height:1px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <p>Jose, an NFL enthusiast, goes to the draft every year to see stadiums and players in different cities. Sarah loves the sightseeing experiences that each trip presents. They enjoyed taking the incline and dining at Kelly O’s Diner.&nbsp;</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pittsburgh-is-green-and-warm">Pittsburgh is green and warm</h2> <p>It was the first visit to Pittsburgh for Phoenix resident Monica Blendowski and her brother, Jeremy Gutierrez, who lives in Hawaii. The two were visiting their friend Eric Bearfield in Youngstown, Ohio, and made the 65-mile drive to attend the draft.</p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://www.publicsource.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/NFL-Draft-Fans_AJ-2.jpg" alt="Three people smiling and posing together outdoors in front of a stadium, wearing casual sports-themed shirts and sunglasses." class="wp-image-1332023" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Fans Eric Bearfield, Monica Blendowski and Jeremy Gutierrez pose for a portrait during the NFL Draft Experience on April 24. (Photo by Alex Jurkuta/Pittsburgh’s Public Source)</figcaption></figure> <p>They said they loved the greenery sprinkled throughout the city and would consider a return trip when the football crowds have left town. And they won’t forget their first glimpse of the city after emerging from the tunnel on the drive in. It was like “turning a corner and then suddenly seeing all of Pittsburgh,” Bearfield said.</p> <p>Gutierrez enjoyed the sunny day and the clear skies, while Blendowski wished for a little rain to make it feel different from the desert-like Phoenix.&nbsp;</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-birthday-trip">A birthday trip</h2> <p>High school senior Kelsey Hedson came to Pittsburgh to celebrate the birthday of her best friend Lindsay Hernandez, who is from Greensburg.&nbsp;</p> <p>She said Pittsburgh felt a little bit like New York, without the bustle. Hedson and Hernandez are not sports fans; they’re in it for the party snacks. After the draft, they plan to have a birthday dinner at LeMont in Mount Washington and take in the city views.</p> <p>Hedson said the parking rates were “a little absurd,” but she was fine with it if it’s a one-time thing and would definitely visit the city again.&nbsp;</p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://www.publicsource.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/NFL-Draft_AJ-21.jpg" alt="Passengers, many wearing sports jerseys, are seated and standing inside a crowded subway car. The atmosphere appears casual and focused." class="wp-image-1332034" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Fans ride the T in Pittsburgh on Apr. 23, the first day of the NFL Draft. (Photo by Alex Jurkuta/Pittsburgh’s Public Source)</figcaption></figure> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-did-not-visit-for-the-draft">Did not visit for the draft</h2> <p>Mary Slattery lives in Williamsport and has been to Pittsburgh at least 15 times. She was in town this weekend to participate in the Pancreatic Cancer Walk.</p> <p>“The draft just happened to be there,” she said.&nbsp;</p> <p>Her favorite activity in Pittsburgh is to walk around Point State Park and visit the Phipps Conservatory.&nbsp;</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-same-old-pittsburgh">Same old Pittsburgh</h2> <p>Allison Woodland and Dylan Menzel came to Pittsburgh with their three children from Kansas.&nbsp;</p> <p>Woodland liked how clean the city was and found the bus system very efficient. She was excited to show her kids the Point State Park fountain, the Children’s Museum and the National Aviary (though the latter two were running on different hours during the draft).&nbsp;</p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://www.publicsource.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/NFL-Draft-Fans_AJ-1.jpg" alt="A man, woman and young child pose together outside at an event; both adults wear sports jerseys and sunglasses, with a crowd and tents visible in the background." class="wp-image-1332022" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Fans Allison Woodland and Dylan Menzel pose for a portrait during the NFL Draft Experience on April 24. (Photo by Alex Jurkuta/Pittsburgh’s Public Source)</figcaption></figure> <p>Menzel lived in Pittsburgh around 2012 and did not think the city changed at all.&nbsp;</p> <p>“It’s still the same old Pittsburgh that I love and it’s great to be back,” he said.&nbsp;</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chaotic-transportation-for-pittsburgh-newcomers-nbsp">‘Chaotic’ transportation for Pittsburgh newcomers&nbsp;</h2> <p>Brandon McKinzie and Alex Finster of Orlando arrived yesterday morning by plane for the draft.</p> <p>They described their time in Pittsburgh as “awesome” — marked by eating sweet treats at Oakmont Bakery and taking in the city’s architecture. A few issues Thursday night with the city’s transportation system caused some frustration, though.&nbsp;</p> <p>“Getting here was alright, but trying to leave was chaos,” McKinzie said.&nbsp;</p> <p>Before their trip ends Saturday afternoon, they plan on fully immersing themselves in the city with visits to the Heinz History Center and the Andy Warhol Museum.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-energetic-draft-experience-nbsp">Energetic draft experience&nbsp;</h2> <p>Christian and Randy Villegas, two Texan residents supporting the Detroit Lions, remarked on Pittsburgh’s “calm, cool and collected” atmosphere.</p> <p>Until they leave Saturday afternoon, they plan on attending further draft events.&nbsp;</p> <p>“We’re enjoying every second of it,” Randy said. “The energy, the crowd, the fan bases going wild — it’s just a great experience to be part of.”</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pittsburgh-is-a-wonderful-little-city">Pittsburgh is a ‘wonderful, little city’</h2> <p>Erica and Chris Kackley drove three hours from their home in West Virginia to take part in their first draft experience.&nbsp;</p> <p>Chris said the event marked his first dedicated stop in the area, beside layovers in the airport. The couple has enjoyed their time in Pittsburgh&nbsp; — a “wonderful little city” — despite a hiccup with finding their car in the parking garage Friday night.&nbsp;</p> <p>The two were impressed by the city’s dense layout, at least compared to West Virginia.&nbsp;</p> <p>“Sometimes, where we're from, you have to drive, you know, 15, 20 minutes across town to go do something across town,” Chris said. “But it seems like you guys walk across the bridge, and it's like everything is just right in this little area here.”</p> <p>The visit has been so positive for the couple that they’ve already planned a return later in the year for a Steelers game. This time, they’ll have a full itinerary for Pittsburgh landmarks to visit.&nbsp;</p> <p><em>Lajja Mistry is the K-12 education reporter at Pittsburgh’s Public Source. She can be reached at </em><a href="mailto:lajja@publicsource.org"><em>lajja@publicsource.org</em></a><em>.</em></p> <p><em>Jamese Platt is an editorial intern and can be reached at <a href="mailto:jamese@publicsource.org">jamese@publicsource.org</a>.</em></p></p> <p>This &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://www.publicsource.org/pittsburgh-wows-nfl-draft-visitors/&quot;&gt;article&lt;/a&gt; first appeared on &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://www.publicsource.org&quot;&gt;Pittsburgh&#039;s Public Source&lt;/a&gt; and is republished here under a &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/&quot;&gt;Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;img src=&quot;https://i0.wp.com/www.publicsource.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/cropped-ps_circle_favicon_blue.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;amp;ssl=1&quot; style=&quot;width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;&quot;&gt;</p> &lt;img id=&quot;republication-tracker-tool-source&quot; src=&quot;https://www.publicsource.org/?republication-pixel=true&amp;post=1332027&amp;amp;ga4=G-CCLXQK5C14&quot; style=&quot;width:1px;height:1px;&quot;&gt;&lt;script&gt; PARSELY = { autotrack: false, onload: function() { PARSELY.beacon.trackPageView({ url: &quot;https://www.publicsource.org/pittsburgh-wows-nfl-draft-visitors/&quot;, urlref: window.location.href }); } } &lt;/script&gt; &lt;script id=&quot;parsely-cfg&quot; src=&quot;//cdn.parsely.com/keys/publicsource.org/p.js&quot;&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

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