Steelers beat the clock, submit bid to host NFL Draft in 2026 or 2027

The Pittsburgh Steelers made it official Friday when they submitted their formal application to host the NFL Draft in the 2026 or 2027 season.

Bids had to be submitted by Friday, and the Steelers made their announcement on social media with a brief video. Tagged in the post on X, the site formerly known as Twitter, were Mayor Ed Gainey, Visit Pittsburgh and Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato.

“I think we’re optimistic that we’ll bring it here in the not-too-distant future,” team president Art Rooney II said in late January.

A decision likely will be announced in May when NFL owners hold their spring meeting in Nashville, Tenn.

Last May at the spring meeting, Green Bay was awarded the draft in 2025. This year’s event will be held in Detroit from April 25-27.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said 10 teams interested in hosting the draft were represented in Kansas City this past spring.

If the Steelers’ bid is accepted, they could hold the event next to Stage AE and Acrisure Stadium on the North Shore.

The NFL began awarding the draft to cities in 2015. From 1965-2014, it was held exclusively in New York. Since the draft began rotating among NFL cities, it has increased in popularity and scope that begins before the three-day draft takes place.

“For that week, the host city becomes the epicenter of sports and entertainment as we bring in and build many of the same elements that we have during Super Bowl week,” McCarthy told TribLive in November. “There are community events, youth clinics at local parks and schools, an interactive theme park like you would see at the Super Bowl.”

When the event was held in Nashville in 2019, it attracted 600,000 fans.

Pittsburgh hosted the 1948 draft in December 1947 at the Fort Pitt Hotel.