The 2026 NFL Draft marked Brennan Bach’s first trip to Pittsburgh, and the Baltimore native said the city made a lasting impression.
“I like the rivers, I like the scenery — it’s really nice. The city feels pretty clean,” Bach said. “So far, everyone’s been friendly.”
Outside of draft activities, he’s still figuring out what the rest of the weekend holds, but says he’s enjoying his time in the city and plans to return to explore more.
Repping an array of their team’s colorful football jerseys, visitors traveled from far to enjoy the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh.
Katie Nagel, 40, and Mike Hopkins, 44, flew in from Anchorage, Alaska, for their first NFL Draft — Nagel in Vikings gear and Hopkins in his Steelers jersey, the two carrying on a friendly rivalry.
For Hopkins, a lifelong Steelers fan and Youngstown native, the draft already ranks among his top sports memories. It trails only seeing Troy Polamalu inducted into the Steelers Hall of Fame and attending a 2025 game in Ireland where Pittsburgh beat Minnesota.
Still, the pair said they were enjoying their time Friday morning on the Point State Park side of the NFL Draft Experience.
Under sunny skies, the pair — joined by family friend Charlotte Joachim and her children, Geneva and Carter — made their way toward the park’s fountain.
Hopkins said Pittsburgh holds a special place in his childhood memories of going to football games with his grandfather, who was a Steelers season ticket holder.
As an adult, he’s come to appreciate the city’s distinct landscape, shaped by its hills and rivers.
“Pittsburgh is one of my two favorite cities, and to take all this in, in Pittsburgh as a Steelers fan is pretty special,” Hopkins said.
Kenneth Roots, 62, of Detroit, said he wasn’t initially impressed when they got to the NFL Draft Experience because it didn’t seem organized at first. Once he saw the massive stage on the North Shore, he quickly changed his tune.
“Y’all made the whole city look good,” Roots said.
Roots, proudly wore his Detroit Lions gear, with an oversized hat that he said someone on the street gifted him.
His brother Gilbert Braxton, 68, and neighbor George Johnson, 65, made the trip together and are staying at a hotel on 10th Street in the heart of the draft festivities.
While in town, the group made sure to visit a Pittsburgh favorite, Primanti Bros.
Johnson said he didn’t finish his hamburger with bacon and signature fries, so he took it to go, but when the group was trying to re-enter the draft experience they wouldn’t let outside food in.
The sandwich was just too good to throw away, Johnson said.
“I got out of line, and sat and ate the rest of my sandwich,” Johnson said. “I wasn’t throwing that away.”
Johnson and Roots were both supporting their hometown team, the Detroit Lions, but Braxton said he’s been a Steelers fan since he was a kid.
“I was born a Steeler,” Braxton said. “I’ve been (to Pittsburgh) four times.”
Carrie and James Noonan flew in Thursday night from Southern California.
Though each had visited Pittsburgh separately before, they said this marks their first trip to the city together.
They’ve spent the day striking up conversations with fellow fans — including one who invited them to dinner on a future visit — and said they’d gladly return to the Steel City.
With just one day at the Draft Experience before heading home, the devoted Rams fans are making the most of it.
The night before, they won the Rams’ season ticket-holder lottery.
“We actually get to sit at the Rams inner circle table tonight at the draft,” Carrie Noonan said, sporting Rams-head earrings along with a visor and jersey bearing the team’s logo.
She said the couple isn’t sure yet what the special perks will entail, but they are excited for it.
They are staying in a hotel by the airport.
“The people here are just amazing,” James Noonan said.
Joe Lange, Jeff Lange and Brent Wilkening, from Chicago, were impressed with the crowd sizes, which Thursday night hit a record 320,000.
“We love coming here,” Jeff Lange said. “It’s beautiful on the water.”
The trio, who spent the morning at the Point, said they might head back to the North Shore to watch some more picks Friday night.
John Alleca, 44, didn’t travel as far as some other spectators. He traveled to town from Buffalo, N.Y.
The Buffalo Bills fan drove down Thursday night with friends and is staying in an Airbnb a half-hour north of the city.
“The Super Bowl and whatnot just really isn’t realistic for me,” Alleca said. “So the next biggest thing that I could think of was a draft.”
Alleca and his friends were checking out the scene in Market Square on Friday morning and planned to hit Point State Park and the North Shore.
Alleca said he’s been to Pittsburgh often because of its relative proximity to Buffalo.
“We got no problem with Steelers (fans),” he said. “Pittsburgh’s a very welcoming city.”