Within the first 10 minutes of opening its doors Saturday, the Topps Collectors Celebration Day at the NFL Draft had fans already pressing tightly against the barricades near the Topps card-opening stage inside Acrisure Stadium.
It wasn’t long until the crowd had completely flooded the area, throwing themselves at the guest athletes for the chance to win a free collectible card during the last day of the NFL Draft.
The Topps event featured a promotion for the first 1,000 attendees, who received a free 2025 Topps Chrome Football “value box.” The box features 28 cards and was released April 15.
Steelers retired linebackers James Harrison and Joey Porter Sr., former tight end Heath Miller and current cornerback Joey Porter Jr. helped lead pack openings and handed cards directly to excited fans.
The early crowd who waited in the light rain before the event got the closest spots to the players.
More fans lined up on the field outside the Topps tent.
Marcie McGuire, 53, of North Huntingdon said that, despite being a Steelers fan, she was hoping her spot in line would secure her a card with Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen on it.
Hines Stepien, who was in line with McGuire, said he was hoping to land a card of one of the Steelers greats.
“Troy Polamalu or Hines Ward — I was named after Hines Ward, so that’d be awesome to get,” said Stepien, 18.
The early rounds of box openings drew a relatively quiet reaction — until a Steelers card of linebacker T.J. Watt appeared, triggering a noticeably louder response from the crowd.
The crowd chanted “T.J. Watt … T.J. Watt … T.J. Watt” in the Topps tent as the elder Porter played the dealer.
Fists pumped in the air amid a sea of black and gold.
Porter, holding a coveted card of the linebacker in his hand, put out the challenge to two young fans sitting on adults’ shoulders: “Are you ready to have a rock-paper-scissors with this guy?”
The battle commenced, scissors cut paper, and one young fan claimed victory.
Fox Chapel resident Dan Desko, 43, held his 9-year-old son, Luca, on his shoulders to increase his chances of getting a card.
Both Porters signed Luca’s Steelers hat.
Fox Chapel resident Dan Desko, 43, had his 9-year-old son, Luca, on his shoulders to increase his chances of getting a card.
Joey Porter Sr. and Joey Porter Jr. both signed Luca’s Steelers hat. @TribLIVE pic.twitter.com/TvuZyZpB2r
— Megan Trotter (@meganktrotter) April 25, 2026
Luca said he was hoping for an Aaron Rodgers card.
He hooted and hollered for a chance to get noticed throughout the event.
Gov. Josh Shapiro made his way to the Topps card tent just after noon.
He drew the event’s first Steelers card with an autograph and the crowd went up in a roar.
Michael Rubin, founder and CEO of Fanatics, which acquired the Topps Company’s sports and entertainment division in 2022, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell also made appearances.
Goodell’s welcome was not as positive. The crowd booed him as he walked onstage.
“Come on, you guys can do better than that,” Goodell said teasingly. “Come on — give me a real boo!”
