Plum native Pat McAfee draws large crowd for his show at Steelers training camp
T.J. Watt, Aaron Rodgers, Cam Heyward and Co. weren’t the only people drawing swarms of fans to Saint Vincent on Wednesday.
Three-and-a-half months after appearing in Pittsburgh for his “Big Night Aht” at PPG Paints Arena, Plum native Pat McAfee returned to the region to host his talk show at Steelers training camp.
McAfee’s appearance was greeted by a large gathering of fans who perched on the hillside near Chuck Noll Field to get a view of the festivities. The Steelers estimated that 4,500 fans were on campus for the practice, about twice as many as a typical Wednesday session.
McAfee had his usual crew on stage for his noon airing of “The Pat McAfee Show”: Tone Digz, Boston Connor, Ty Schmit, A.J. Hawk and Darius Butler. Guests around and with the Steelers were brought to the set throughout the show.
The packed crowd at Saint Vincent gravitated toward the set at 11 a.m. when gates opened. The energy did not stop throughout the show, as McAfee welcomed chants and songs from the rowdy spectators.
The fans were treated to a flurry of Steelers players sitting down with McAfee and crew. Rodgers, who has been a regular on the show for multiple years, was a guest. Heyward and Watt helped kick off the telecast that stretched for three hours on ESPN and YouTube.
Coach Mike Tomlin, special teams coordinator Danny Smith and general manager Omar Khan also made appearances.
“Pat is a talent, man, and his show is entertaining with a real good following,” Tomlin said after practice. “It really added to our environment today, and I’m appreciative of that.”
Among the non-football guests was well-known media personality “Pittsburgh Dad,” Curt Wootton.
Connor Kelly, a 21-year-old from Seward, came to training camp with his cousin, who made the trip from Huntsville, Ala.
“We take my cousin Nicholas here every year when he stays with us, and he especially wanted to come today to see Pat McAfee,” Kelly said. “I like how he engages with the fans in the background, and he seems to care about people watching him.”
Fan engagement was constant throughout the show as well as afterward. McAfee stayed on stage to sign autographs for 15 minutes after the broadcast concluded. The crowd even convinced McAfee to take off his shirt. Wootton and Hawk also funneled through the crowd and signed autographs.
McAfee had his customary sleeveless shirt back on when he visited the Steelers sideline for the final 45 minutes of practice.
Tight end Pat Freiermuth wasn’t on the broadcast, but he spoke about the show’s impact in the region, also addressing a clip of his misunderstood reaction to a passing play in practice that went viral.
WAS PAT FREIERMUTH PAHTIN⁉️@pat_fry5 let us know he wasn't PAHTIN ????????#PMSLive https://t.co/tq74qtGl78 pic.twitter.com/F7NlzXdU2P
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) July 28, 2025
“It’s cool, man, and he’s from Plum and seeing the support from this area is awesome,” Freiermuth said. “I’m thankful that he had me on to clear up that viral clip.”
McAfee’s road show will continue Thursday in Canton, Ohio, in preparation for the Hall of Fame game and Saturday’s induction ceremony.
Giustino Racchini is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Giustino at gracchini@triblive.com.
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