SPORTS-CRAZED PITTSBURGH WAS A PERFECT HOST FOR The NFL DRAFT
By Butch Maier / Photo Above: Photo By Dustin McGrew | Courtesy of Visit PITTSBURGH
Dad often tells people, regarding my affinity for my favorite city, “My son thinks the sun rises and sets in Pittsburgh.” It seemed that way when the Pittsburgh Steelers won the Super Bowl twice and the Pittsburgh Pirates once during my first years of fandom. It certainly seemed that way again as I stayed in place for eight hours to remain in front of 300,000 people gathered in Pittsburgh in April for the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Big City
To a kid born into a West Virginia trailer park, Pittsburgh was my New York—the big city. My first trip to The Burgh was in 1981. I was 9 and ran around downtown with my 6-year-old sister Erica—by ourselves (these were different times)—to get to a movie theater so we could watch Raiders of the Lost Ark yet again. Even though Pittsburgh was the big city, it did not scare me. So much so, I begged my parents to let me go to a Steelers game by myself that Sunday when one ticket was available. I was denied and was crushed. (In retrospect, I am thankful. It was a terrible loss.) My family visited Pittsburgh every summer when I was a teen to attend a Pirates series, visit the grand Pittsburgh Zoo, and ride the coasters at Kennywood Park—the best little amusement park around. Each trip, I would buy every newspaper in town and read every word on every sports page. My journalism career started in Pittsburgh—and almost did not get started because of a Pittsburgh journalist.
Living in Pittsburgh
After college graduation and with no job prospects, I relocated to The Burgh with my roommate. I called in to a Pittsburgh Pirates pregame show and asked then-Pittsburgh Post-Gazette sports columnist Bob Smizik (since retired but still on social media) what advice he had for an aspiring journalist. He said, “Find another profession.” I didn’t heed his advice for the next quarter century. I got a job in a western suburb at the tiny Sewickley Herald newspaper, which allowed me to hang out in the Pirates’ clubhouse with college buddy Tony Womack when he got called up to the team. I wrote for the Penguins Report and interviewed hockey legend Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburgh Penguins. I covered five high schools—Penn Hills, Woodland Hills, Gateway, Plum, and Riverview—for Gateway Publications in the heart of football-mad Western Pennsylvania. I worked for newspapers down south before returning to The Burgh and designing Pittsburgh sports pages for the Tribune-Review. I have lived on the west side of Pittsburgh (Leet Township and Ambridge), a northern suburb (Wexford), and two eastern suburbs (Penn Hills and Irwin), while working in Sewickley, Coraopolis, Monroeville, and Greensburg. Despite moving away again, I always find my way back to The Burgh.
Visiting Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh has one of the more attractive entranceways to a U.S. city. One minute, you are driving along tree-lined Interstate 376 in Western Pennsylvania. The next, you are emerging from the Fort Pitt Tunnel to see Pittsburgh in all its glory. If you go, make sure to ride the Duquesne Incline to view the city from Mouth Washington. Enjoy the arts? Pittsburgh has more than 500 arts orgnizations. Want to take in top-level high school football? See Central Catholic face North Allegheny on Oct. 9. Looking for a good college? U.S. News and World Report ranked the University of Pittsburgh No. 57 overall and Carnegie Mellon University No. 112. Sit on a blanket and watch an outdoor movie at Cinema in the Park. Try fries on your sandwich at Primanti Bros. Get a smiley cookie at Eat’n Park. There is so much to enjoy in Pittsburgh but not enough space, so I will keep the rest of the focus on pro sports.
Steelers Football
The Steelers have won six Super Bowls in my lifetime, though I was too young to remember the first two. Memory of my fandom is not lacking. A grade school classmate I had not seen in 15 years asked me, “Do you still love the Steelers more than life itself?” Yes. Why would I not? My first game was the Steelers’ first loss to the Browns at Three Rivers Stadium, but I also saw the Steelers beat the Browns in the playoffs. I have been to two AFC title games—the Steelers’ upset loss to the Chargers and the “Good to the Last Drop” (Sports Illustrated’s headline) win against the Colts. My wife and I started our family in Akron, Ohio, near Cleveland. I was OK with our sons rooting for the Cleveland baseball team because they lived nearby and the Pirates had not been competitive for a decade. I was OK with our sons rooting for the Cleveland Cavaliers because Pittsburgh did not have a pro basketball team. But in no way was I OK with my kids rooting for the Cleveland football team. My boys thank me often. This season is quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ last rodeo, with his old coach—Mike McCarthy—now the Steelers’ new coach. How this goes, no one knows. Think twice before visiting the Maier household on a Sunday this fall. If you do stop by, remember earplugs.
Pirates Baseball
The Pirates have not been to the World Series since 1979. Mom drove us to my first Pirates game in 1984. They had gotten so bad, we were able to buy second-row seats just before the game started. The Pirates now have the stadium with the best views (PNC Park), one of the best pitchers on the planet (Paul Skenes), two of the more promising rookies in the game (Konnor Griffin and Esmerlyn Valdez), and—for once—hope. They actually spent a chunk of money last offseason, and one of their biggest gets was from Coastal Virginia (second baseman Brandon Lowe, a product of Nansemond River High School in Suffolk). The Pirates usually are out of contention this late in the season, but they have been competitive all summer. It’s about time.
Penguins Hockey
The Penguins have won five Stanley Cups in my lifetime. Lemieux was one of the greatest players ever, and he had Jaromir Jagr (second on the points list and first on my most colorful interview list) beside him. The Penguins now have another of the greatest players ever, Sidney Crosby, as well as Evgeni Malkin, who is in the top 25 for all-time points. Pens fans have been spoiled.
NFL Draft
As soon as the draft location was announced, I knew I was bringing my eldest and youngest sons, Will and Jack, back to The Burgh. (For those of you who are thinking of attending the NFL Draft in Washington, D.C., next year, get your hotel room early!) The morning of the first round, we waited for the gates to open. My kids (yes, 23 and 18, but still kids) ran the 40-yard dash and got photographed next to the Lombardi Trophy as part of the fan experience. After lunch, we decided to take a peek at the draft stage. We turned a corner, and it was as if we were emerging from the Fort Pitt Tunnel. There it was, in all its glory. The stage where the draft picks for all 32 teams would be revealed. (My sons and I saw fans in jerseys from every team.) The stage where Steelers draft picks (including offensive tackle Max Iheanachor, receiver Germie Bernard, and quarterback Drew Allar) would be cheered and questioned. Where Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, and Cincinnati Bengals draft picks would be booed almost as much as NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. The stage where trades would be announced and immediately analyzed. (Look, there’s ESPN’s Mina Kimes!) The stage was well within view behind a small collection of first-class seats at the end of a near-empty parking lot where the masses would gather. Since this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and there was nothing else we would rather do, we parked ourselves in the lot, standing and sitting in place all afternoon and evening while 300,000 football fans crammed in behind us. As I have gotten older and traveled to bigger cities, Pittsburgh has gotten smaller. In April, for at least a few days, Pittsburgh was the big city again.
Butch Maier
