After reading the title of this article, you might be thinking just what we need, more thoughts on the NFL draft. However, as someone who was born and raised in Pittsburgh, my perspective on football has changed over the years. During football season, “Steelers Sunday” meant that we, the kids, couldn’t watch what we wanted for a few hours, and my parents would be upset if we disrupted their game day experience. At the time, football, to me, was similar to going to church—boring, and something I didn’t want to endure but was forced to.
Living in Pittsburgh my entire life, there were plenty of aspects of this city that were deglamorized in my mind. I watched my peers move here for the first time in college, and I never felt anything towards the various gifts that my city offered to fresh eyes. However, years later, I’ve started to see things differently. There are plenty of spots to explore in Pittsburgh, but it still isn’t the type of place you plan a vacation to. So, the NFL draft has given football lovers the chance to do just that.
Out of all cities, why choose Pittsburgh for the site of the draft anyways? Here is what I learned from a recent visit to the Heinz History Center: Pittsburgh was the birthplace of professional football in 1892. The very first draft was held in Pittsburgh in 1935. Additionally, in 1948 and ‘49, Pittsburgh held secret drafts to select players before the public draft. The Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC and have established themselves as a powerhouse, having the best defensive unit in NFL history (the Steel Curtain, c. 1973) and winning four Super Bowls from 1974–1979. After the Pirates won the World Series in‘79, Pittsburgh was dubbed the “City of Champions”.
With the city’s rich sports history in mind, it is no wonder that the draft is coming back to Pittsburgh on the 90th anniversary of the event. This will surely, be an inconvenience for residents, but a momentous occasion for local businesses. While walking to class on the Thursday of the draft, I witnessed a line down the block for a pop up event. The city has also seen a number of infrastructure developments that may not have been funded if it weren’t for the draft. I have even heard rumors that this is a trial run to see if Pittsburgh could support a Super Bowl in the future. Lastly, the Steelers lead the draft with a potential 12 picks, which hopefully predicts a strong season for the team.
After watching my younger brother become invested in the Steelers during their last season, and their standing becoming a topic of conversation every time I visited home, I think it’s about time I pick up a Terrible Towel. I’m no football expert, but I would love to see another Steelers Super Bowl win so I can stop hearing from my mom about how terrible the Patriots are (if that day will ever come, I’m not sure).