Gail Friedman likely would not have attended the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh if it weren’t for her grandkids.
“I’m not very sports-oriented, but I wanted to come because it’s Pittsburgh,” said Friedman, 77, of Mt. Lebanon. “I probably would not have come on my own, but because of their enthusiasm, I wanted to share it with them.”
Here grandson Benny Coburn, 9, of Rochester, N.Y., said his favorite part of attending the draft was meeting Damar Hamlin.
Friedman said her daughter, son-in-law and two grandkids came in from Rochester specifically for the draft and have been staying with her.
“It’s just such a get-together event,” she said.
For many families, the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh was about togetherness, as grandparents, parents and young children alike navigated the crowds, activities and excitement side by side. Drawn by visiting relatives, kid-friendly attractions and a sense of shared community, attendees said the event offered a rare chance to create memories across generations
Tere Williams said she was waiting to see how Thursday went before deciding to bring her three young kids down to the draft. Emmi-Lo is 7, Zoe is 6 and Anthony is 3.
“I wanted to just get the vibes first — let me make sure the vibes are good first before I bring them down,” said Williams, 36, of Turtle Creek. “I saw all positive things.”
She was a little nervous but then saw people posting all over Facebook and TikTok about the family-friendly activities.
“It’s been amazing,” Williams said. “It made me more comfortable bringing my kids down.”
While at Point State Park Friday, she said she noticed that people were friendly and looking out for her kids.
“I’m not the only one — there’s community around us,” Williams said. “They’re helping your children along, they’re helping other children along.
“It makes it easier for all of us down here with kids.”
Jace Craig and Isabelle Starlin brought their daughter, Nora Craig, who is 2 years old, to the draft.
The couple flew in from Wichita, Kansas and spent the week in the Steel City. Nora Craig joined the couple for draft festivities on Friday, and her dad said the experience was “not too bad.”
“It’s been busy; she’s been a little overwhelmed,” he said. “There’s a lot of families here — I feel like every family is a little different.”
Jace Craig, 25, said rather than lug a stroller on the airplane and into the draft, they opted for a purple cord connecting him to his daughter by their wrists so she couldn’t run off.
“She can kind of walk herself, but she can’t run off,” he said, and they only put the wrist straps on after she got tired. “She took a small nap in my arms.
“We just assumed it would be way too busy to have a stroller.”
Jace Craig grew up in Johnstown, so he’s a Steelers fan. He converted Starlin, 24, to be a fan as well.
“When she’s tired, she wants to do what she wants to do,” she said of her daughter.
Kaitlyn Maylin, however, brought stroller in for her son, Ezekiel Cox, who is 2 years old — and she said it worked out fine.
“It was pretty good. The security was pretty easy to get through; we just walked through practically,” said Maylin, 21, of Colliers, W.Va. “It’s been easy to get around with the stroller, pretty easy to find food.”
She was able to bring her son and the stroller into the North Shore area Thursday night in front of the stage. They stayed until after the Steelers’ pick.
“It was pretty crowded,” Maylin said. “Everyone kept running into the stroller and stuff.”
Her 2-year-old did great with the crowds, she said.
“He did fantastic,” Maylin said. “It was the easiest time we’ve ever had with him — it was easier than going to the mall with him.
“He’s very adventurous, very outdoorsy — he loves to just explore and see everything.”
Maylin said she noticed more strollers on Friday than on Thursday, but overall, there are more older kids than really young at the draft from her observations.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience,” she said. “It’s a great place, great environment, lots of things to do.”