The NFL carefully chooses which cities get the opportunity to host the draft, the league’s second-biggest event only behind the Super Bowl. When Pittsburgh got the nod for 2026 back in May of 2024, it was both a cause for celebration and a big test. Speaking Monday, commissioner Roger Goodell believes the city will pass with flying colors.
Goodell joined 100.1 FM’s Michael Bartley to share his expectations for the city.
“I think this will be a moment where Pittsburgh is going to shine,” Goodell told Bartley via 93.7 The Fan. “I think that’s the most important thing about the draft. When a city hosts a draft, they need to do it their way. It needs to reflect on their community. It’s gotta scream Pittsburgh.
“I’m sure that’s going to happen. Because of the fans, the iconic location where we’re at. The stadium on one side of the river, Point State Park, that incredible intersection of the world.”
"When a city hosts (the NFL) Draft, they need to do it their way." NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says Pittsburgh will shine on the world stage next month. @NFL pic.twitter.com/g06dbnbnYS
— 93.7 The Fan (@937theFan) March 23, 2026
Pittsburgh will unveil the result of years of strategy and planning from April 23rd through the 25th. The three-day event is expected to bring in 500,000-700,000 fans into the region. Pittsburgh benefits from being a midpoint between many NFL cities: Buffalo, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Philadelphia, and the New York Giants and Jets. The city drew national headlines after cancelling school for three days of draft week due to traffic congestion that could make the busing system a logistical nightmare.
It’s only the second time Pittsburgh will have held the draft. The first came in the event’s infancy, as Pittsburgh hosted the 1948 draft. But the event back then was far different from what it is today. In the modern era, it’s something of a sports holiday.
“I think Pittsburgh’s going to really shine,” Goodell said.
Pittsburgh will be judged compared to its peers. Past locations like Green Bay, Detroit, and Nashville have put on great shows that seemed to run smoothly. They have set the bar high. But there’s every reason to believe Pittsburgh will join that group as a great host city. If all goes well, the draft could return to the city within a decade.
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