NFL Hosts Community and Flag Football Events Across Pittsburgh Throughout 2026 NFL Draft Week

NEW YORK – April 16, 2026 – The NFL announced today a series of community-focused events taking place throughout Pittsburgh as part of the 2026 NFL Draft presented by Bud Light on April 23-25. Community events and flag football activations will uplift the greater Pittsburgh area and celebrate its rich football tradition, bringing together community members, partners and fans for a week of impact and engagement.

As part of these efforts, the NFL will also continue its commitment to supporting local businesses through the Draft Source Program, the league’s supplier development initiative that connects local and underrepresented businesses to opportunities tied directly to the Draft. Through the program, a number of Pittsburgh-based businesses have secured contracts supporting Draft operations, including roles across catering, facilities and event production. The program helps ensure local businesses share in the economic impact of Draft week.

On Tuesday, April 21, the NFL will kick off its 2026 NFL Draft community events with a greening project in partnership with Verizon, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Allegheny CleanWays and Friends of the Riverfront to clean and beautify neighborhoods in Pittsburgh’s West End neighborhood.

As part of the NFL’s ongoing efforts to empower youth and support the next generation of leaders, on Tuesday, April 21, the NFL will host a special event with the Duquesne City School District to promote both physical and emotional health for local middle school students. This event will bring together two longstanding NFL youth initiatives – Character Playbook and PLAY 60 – to help kick off the launch of the new NFL FLAG-In-School PLAY 60 Champions program. NFL FLAG-In-School PLAY 60 Champions is powered through partnerships with national nonprofits GENYOUth and Action for Healthy Kids to help school districts build active, healthy school environments for youth across the country.

On Wednesday, April 22, the NFL will host its annual Play Football Prospect Clinic. At the event, top prospects in Pittsburgh for the 2026 NFL Draft will participate in a flag football clinic, engaging and connecting with local Special Olympics athletes and youth football players. The Prospect Clinic will take place at Hazelwood Green Park Field – a new, state-of-the-art multipurpose facility designed to expand access to recreation, youth sports, and community space in the Hazelwood neighborhood and across the Pittsburgh region. The new field was supported in part by the NFL Foundation and Pittsburgh Steelers. NFL Draft prospects, along with NFL Network Draft analysts Daniel Jeremiah, Charles Davis, and Joel Klatt, will be available to the media following the flag football portion of the event.

On Thursday, April 23, Inspire Change, the NFL’s social justice initiative to reduce barriers to opportunity, will bring together the NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers and local partners to address homelessness in the greater Pittsburgh area. The event will feature a care kit packing activity in support of Pittsburgh Mercy’s Operation Safety Net, followed by a mentorship session with youth from the Homeless Children’s Education Fund. Participants, including NFL and Steelers leadership and players, will engage directly with youth through career development conversations and community-building activities. The event will also highlight the work of local organizations, including the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and Light of Life Rescue Mission, and their ongoing efforts to support individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

Also on Thursday, as a part of the NFL Crucial Catch initiative in partnership with the American Cancer Society, Pittsburgh Steelers long snapper Cal Domitis will visit UPMC Hillman Cancer Center to deliver blankets to cancer patients undergoing treatment.

Throughout the 2026 NFL Draft, onsite prospects will sign their first official autographed team jersey to be auctioned off at NFL.com/auction. All funds raised via the auction of the jersey will be donated to the player’s high school football program.

On Friday, April 24, the NFL will team up with the Bob Woodruff Foundation — an NFL Salute to Service partner — and Move United to host a USA Wheelchair Football League Veteran All-Star Game, where the USA Wheelchair Football League’s top players will play on two teams representing various military branches.

Continuing on Friday, April 24, flag football will take center stage through a special showcase of top girls high school flag football athletes. Eighty of the best girls high school flag players from across the region will convene in Pittsburgh to participate in a combine-style workout in front of college coaches to demonstrate their skills.

The NFL is also teaming up with the American Heart Association (AHA) and Damar Hamlin's Chasing M's Foundation on Friday, April 24 to train thousands of community members in Hands-Only CPR, attempting to set a world record by training 4,000 people in this lifesaving tool in just one hour during the 2026 NFL Draft.

Throughout the week, NFL partners will also host events celebrating the Pittsburgh community. On Tuesday, April 21, the NFL and Little Caesars will bring the Little Caesars Love Kitchen® to Veterans Place of Washington Boulevard to support the organization’s efforts to address food insecurity in the community. As a part of Lowe's and the NFL’s longstanding commitment to improving the communities it serves, on Wednesday, April 22, Pittsburgh Steelers Legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis will join Lowe’s red vest associates to support the construction of townhomes in Pittsburgh’s east-end neighborhood of Larimer. Lowe’s role as the NFL’s official home improvement partner and continued support of this commitment reflects its mission of solving problems and fulfilling dreams for the home.

In addition, this year in Pittsburgh, inspirational fans, community leaders and special guests will participate in the 2026 NFL Draft by announcing select picks live on stage. This year’s special guests will include representatives from NFL non-profit partners like Special Olympics and GENYOUth, as well as NFL Salute to Service military charitable partners, the USO, Pat Tillman Foundation (PTF) and Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS). The NFL will also help grant wishes for two Make-A-Wish kids when they announce the first-round pick of their favorite teams on Day 1 of the Draft.

Throughout the Draft, the NFL will recognize our country’s military community through the league’s Salute to Service initiative. During the opening ceremony and national anthem performance, the Military District of Washington’s Joint Armed Forces will provide the military honor guard, and the flyover will be performed by United States Marine Corps members stationed in New River, North Carolina and Fort Worth, Texas.

On Day 2, members of the military community will celebrate the 250th anniversary of our country and armed forces through a special video package to tee up the New England Patriots’ second round pick. In addition, in between Rounds 2 & 3, there will be a special ceremony honoring our nation’s military community who are in attendance in Pittsburgh, and on Day 3, military recruits from each branch of service will raise their hand and recite the Oath of Enlistment in a live enlistment ceremony.

More information about the 2026 NFL Draft community events and special guests who will announce picks can be found below.

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2026 NFL DRAFT WEEK COMMUNITY EVENTS AND ACTIVATIONS

Events are closed to the public unless otherwise noted
All event times in ET

NFL Draft Community Greening Project: Tuesday, April 21; 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Chartiers Crossing (100 Chartiers Ave, McKees Rocks, PA)

NFL Green, Verizon and the Pittsburgh Steelers in partnership with Allegheny CleanWays and Friends of the Riverfront will participate in a community beautification project in celebration of the 2026 NFL Draft. Local volunteers will clean and beautify the environment by picking up litter and planting trees throughout the riverbanks and a parklet within Esplen and McKees Rocks in Pittsburgh’s West End neighborhood. This event is part of the “Immaculate Collection” – a community beautification initiative aimed at cleaning up litter and beautifying Pittsburgh ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft

NFL Foundation Youth Health & Wellness Expo featuring Character Playbook and NFL FLAG-in-School PLAY 60 Champions: Tuesday, April 21; 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Duquesne Middle School (300 Kennedy Avenue, Duquesne, PA)

Recognizing the connection between positive physical fitness and mental health, the NFL Foundation will host a youth health and wellness expo designed to help students strengthen both mind and body through interactive learning and movement-based activities. The Character Playbook Speaker Series x NFL FLAG-In-School PLAY 60 Champions Event will bring together panelists from around the league, and students local to Pittsburgh and from across the country who have participated in Character Playbook, to discuss themes found in the course Character Playbook – Understanding Mental Wellness. Local students will have the opportunity to gather for a live panel discussion and participate in activities surrounding the theme “Fuel Your Mind and Body.” The panel discussion will also be hosted virtually for classrooms across the country interested in participating.

The event will also mark the kickoff of NFL FLAG-In-School PLAY 60 Champions with a special NFL FLAG-In-School skills and drills clinic featuring students and Pittsburgh Steelers guests following the Speaker Series. Developed in collaboration with the NFL Foundation and powered by national nonprofits GENYOUth and Action for Healthy Kids, this initiative supports school districts in building sustainable, healthy school environments, helping students to be active and well-nourished during the school day and beyond.

NFL and Little Caesars Love Kitchen Event: Tuesday, April 21; 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. – Veterans Place of Washington Boulevard (945 Washington Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA)

In recognition of Draft week, the NFL and Little Caesars are hosting an event for members of Veterans Place of Washington Boulevard in Pittsburgh, an NFL Salute to Service x Bob Woodruff Foundation grantee. In partnership with the Little Caesars Love Kitchen®, the event aims to reach between 250-300 veterans and their families, providing them with a day of food, community, and football.

Veterans Place of Washington Boulevard’s mission is to empower veterans’ transition from homeless to home, ending the cycle of homelessness, and to assist all at-risk veterans in becoming engaged, valuable citizens who contribute to their communities. Through its Veterans Resource Center, the organization services veterans facing homelessness or at risk of homelessness, providing them with essential resources such as transportation, food, clothing, laundry and shower facilities, financial assistance, and individualized case management.

Play Football Prospect Clinic with Special Olympics: Wednesday, April 22; 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. – Hazelwood Green Park (4964 Gloster Street, Pittsburgh, PA)

The NFL will host its annual Prospect Clinic at Hazelwood Green Park in Pittsburgh, connecting local youth football players and Special Olympics athletes with NFL Draft prospects. During the clinic, USA Football coaches and Draft prospects will guide participants through a series of basic football skills and drills stations. NFL Draft prospects, along with NFL Network Draft analysts Daniel Jeremiah, Charles Davis, and Joel Klatt, will be available to the media following the flag football portion of the event.

Hazelwood Green Park Field is a new, state-of-the-art multipurpose facility designed to expand access to recreation, youth sports, and community space in the Hazelwood neighborhood and across the Pittsburgh region. The new field, supported in part by the NFL Foundation and Pittsburgh Steelers, will be used by local schools, youth sports organizations, community groups, and residents throughout the year — providing a safe, high-quality space for recreation and connection.

The NFL and Special Olympics team up year-round to provide opportunities for athletes of all ages and abilities to get active through the league’s PLAY 60 initiative. Through this partnership, the NFL helps fund Unified Sports, including Unified flag football, providing opportunities for people with and without intellectual disabilities to play on the same team.

NFL and Lowe’s Community Project with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh: Wednesday, April 22; 1:30 – 3 p.m. – 550 Lincoln Ave., Pittsburgh, PA

During Draft week, the NFL will come together with its official community improvement partner, Lowe’s, to host a project with the Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh Steelers Legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis will join Lowe’s red vest associates to support the construction of two townhomes in Pittsburgh’s east-end neighborhood of Larimer. This build is part of Habitat for Humanity's Home is the Key initiative, sponsored by Lowe’s, bringing communities together throughout April to unlock access to safe, affordable housing nation-wide. The NFL and Lowe’s will also donate products from the NFL Draft Green Room for use at the new development.

Taste of the Draft: Wednesday, April 22; 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. – The Tower at PNC Plaza (300 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA)

On April 22, national nonprofit GENYOUth will bring to Pittsburgh the ultimate culinary and gridiron experience with Taste of the Draft, presented by PNC Bank to help end student hunger in Pennsylvania.

It’s all about food, football and fun. Join more than 20 beloved local chefs as they celebrate the best of Pittsburgh's culinary heritage. Guests will enjoy delicious food, spirits and moments to mingle with Pittsburgh Steelers players – past and present - including Maurkice Pouncey, Larry Brown, Louis Lipps, Willie Parker, Will Howard, Carson Bruener, Spencer Anderson, Jack Sawyer and others along with NFL legends. There will be live entertainment, a silent auction and many surprise-and-delight moments throughout the evening, including footballs and gift bags for all guests. This is a 21+ event.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit https://tasteofthenfl.com/taste-of-the-draft-2026/

NFL-Steelers Inspire Change Event: Thursday, April 23; 12:30 – 2:00 p.m., Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank (1 N Linden St, Duquesne, PA)

Inspire Change, the NFL’s initiative to reduce barriers to opportunity, will bring together the NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers, and local partners to address homelessness in the greater Pittsburgh area. The event will feature a first aid care and hygiene kit packing activity in support of Pittsburgh Mercy’s Operation Safety Net and Light of Life Rescue Mission, followed by a mentorship session with youth from Homeless Children’s Education Fund. Participants, including NFL and Steelers leadership and players, and players from the Players Coalition, will engage directly with youth through career development conversations and community-building activities. The event will also highlight the work of local organizations, including Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, and their ongoing efforts to ensure that anyone who needs a healthy meal can get one.

NFL FLAG College Showcase: Friday, April 24; 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. – Play Football Field at NFL Draft Experience in Acrisure Stadium

Flag football will take center stage during 2026 NFL Draft Week, as eighty of the top girls high school flag football athletes from the local region will participate in a combine-style workout in front of college coaches, showcasing their skills in a high-profile setting. Girls high school flag football became a sanctioned sport in Pennsylvania in fall 2024, marking the 2025-2026 school year as the first fully sanctioned season, with the inaugural state championship scheduled for May 2026.

At the collegiate level, flag football continues its rapid growth following the NCAA’s recent inclusion of the sport in its Emerging Sports for Women program – an important milestone toward establishing flag football as a varsity women’s sport nationwide. More than 200 colleges and universities across the country are now offering women’s flag football programs.

The NFL FLAG College Showcase is operated by RCX Sports and supported by the Pittsburgh Steelers, reflecting a shared commitment to expanding opportunities for girls and women through flag football and celebrating the sport’s momentum during one of the NFL’s marquee events.

USA Wheelchair Football League Veteran All-Star Game: Friday, April 24; 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Hall D (1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA)

The NFL is teaming up with its Salute to Service partner, the Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF) and Move United – a BWF-NFL Salute to Service grantee – to host the 3rd annual USA Wheelchair Football League Veteran All-Star Game. The teams will be comprised of 18 veterans, representing various military branches. Since 2020, more than 1,500 veterans, athletes with disabilities, coaches and officials have participated in USA Wheelchair Football League programs with support from the NFL and BWF, growing their skills and love for football. The event will take place on Friday, April 24 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Hall D and is free and open to the public. Visit USAWFLVeteranAllStarGame.com to register.

American Heart Association and Damar Hamlin Hands-Only CPR Training: Friday, April 24; 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. – Acrisure Stadium

The NFL is teaming up with the American Heart Association (AHA) and Damar Hamlin's Chasing M's Foundation to train thousands of community members in Hands-Only CPR, attempting to set a world record by training 4,000 people in this lifesaving tool in just one hour during the 2026 NFL Draft. The effort is designed to empower fans, families and communities with a simple, lifesaving skill they are most likely to use to help someone they know and love. Registration is free and open to participation – learn more at: heart.org/NFLDraft.

Crucial Catch Prostate Cancer Screening sponsored by Novartis: Saturday, April 25; 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. – Draft Experience, North Shore

During Draft week, the NFL will team up with the American Cancer Society and Novartis, the official corporate pharmaceutical partner of the NFL, to host a Crucial Catch community screening event in Pittsburgh. The activation will provide on-site PSA blood testing and educational resources, helping raise awareness and promote early detection of prostate cancer.

2026 NFL DRAFT COMMUNITY GUESTS & PICKS

ROUND 1/DAY 1 GUESTS

The Voelke Family (Tragedy Assistance Program For Survivors (TAPS)), Pick 5, New York Giants

Surviving family members of United States Army Major Paul C. Voelke will announce the selection of the New York Giants’ first round pick. As a proud West Point graduate and member of the U.S. Army, Paul tragically sustained fatal injuries while on deployment in Afghanistan. Paul’s awards include the Bronze Star Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Joint Service Commendation Medal. Paul grew up in the Hudson Valley and was a lifelong fan of his hometown New York Giants – a tradition he passed down to his sons, Andrew and Benjamin.

Make-A-Wish, Pick 17, Detroit Lions
Make-A-Wish, Pick 32, Seattle Seahawks

Two Make-A-Wish recipients will have their wishes granted when they join Commissioner Goodell on the NFL Draft stage to announce the selection of the first-round pick for their favorite teams – the Detroit Lions and the reigning Super Bowl champions the Seattle Seahawks. Granting wishes at the NFL Draft continues a long-standing history of support for the wish-granting organization that invites the world to join its mission every April known as World Wish Month.

ROUNDS 2+3/DAY 2 GUESTS

Tylen and Timothy (Friends of the Children), Pick 60, Chicago Bears

Tylen and his Friend Timothy will represent Friends of the Children on the Draft stage when they announce the Chicago Bears’ second-round draft pick. Friends of the Children is a national nonprofit network and an Inspire Change grant partner whose mission is to impact generational change by empowering youth through relationships with professional mentors. Friends of the Children’s model pairs youth with paid, professional mentors (called “Friends”) who provide consistent, long-term support from early childhood through high school graduation, with demonstrated improvements in long-term well-being, academic success, and employment. Friends of the Children has local networks in more than 45 locations across the country, including Chicago.

USO, Pick 63, New England Patriots

Members of the military community and Salute to Service charitable partner, the USO, will celebrate the 250th anniversary of our country and armed forces through a special video package to tee up the New England Patriots’ second round pick. Representatives from each military branch will be featured in a special package to pay homage to the proud tradition of our military community.

ROUNDS 4-7/DAY 3 GUESTS

Elias (St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital) Pick 148, Kansas City Chiefs

Elias, a 19-year-old from Pennsylvania, is a St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® patient who has spent more than six years undergoing treatment for a rare brain tumor. After multiple surgeries and intensive care, Elias continues to pursue his dream of becoming a professional barber while inspiring others with his resilience and outlook. A devoted Pittsburgh Steelers fan, he represents the strength and spirit of young people navigating serious illness, supported by compassionate care and the community around them.

Through its partnership with the NFL, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital helps create meaningful moments for patients like Elias, connecting them to the game they love. Initiatives like NFL PLAY 60 also help raise awareness and support for the St. Jude mission, bringing communities together around children faced with cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

Taylor Roles and Isaiah Baker (Special Olympics), Pick 163, Minnesota Vikings

Taylor Roles and Isaiah Baker will represent Special Olympics Pennsylvania on the Draft stage when they announce the Minnesota Vikings’ fifth-round draft pick. Taylor and Isaiah are teammates on their local Unified flag football team, providing opportunities for people with and without intellectual disabilities to play on the same team. They also participate in local Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools® programming, which promotes social inclusion through sports, leadership, and whole school engagement opportunities.

The NFL and Special Olympics team up year-round to provide opportunities for athletes of all ages and abilities to get active through the league’s PLAY 60 initiative. Through this partnership, the NFL helps fund Unified Sports, including Unified flag football, which has emerged as one of the fastest-growing sports in Special Olympics. This summer, the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games will take place in Minnesota, with thousands of athletes representing all 50 states set to compete across the Twin Cities.

Brashear High School (GENYOUth), Pick 165, Buffalo Bills

The NFL and GENYOUth partner year-round to help our nation’s youth lead active and healthy lifestyles. Central to this partnership is the NFL FLAG-In-School program, which has distributed more than 40,000 flag football kits to schools across the country since 2014, reaching an estimated 17 million students nationwide. A teacher and student from Brashear High School, a local Pittsburgh school that has benefitted from GENYOUth and NFL FLAG-In-School programming, will take the stage at the 2026 NFL Draft and announce the Buffalo Bills’ fifth-round pick.

Margo Darragh (Pat Tillman Foundation), Pick 226, Cincinnati Bengals

Through the NFL's Salute to Service military charitable partner, the Pat Tillman Foundation (PTF), the legacy of Pat Tillman will be honored at the 2026 NFL Draft by Tillman Scholar Margo Darragh. Margo will announce the 226th pick, which was Tillman's draft selection in the 1998 NFL Draft. Margo grew up in a small town just outside of Pittsburgh, and graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2016. She served in the Marine Corps as a Combat Engineer Officer for six years, deploying to Southeast Asia as a platoon commander. Her leadership and expertise were further demonstrated as a tactics instructor for new Marine Corps officers at Quantico, helping to shape the next generation of leaders. Margo recently graduated from Yale Law School, where she continued to build on her commitment to public service. She recently returned to Pittsburgh to begin her legal career back in her home city. To learn more about Margo and support PTF's nearly 1,000 Tillman Scholars, visit donate.ptf.org.

America250 Commission, Pick 250, Baltimore Ravens

2026 represents the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, a monumental milestone for our nation. In partnership with the America250 Commission, the NFL will continue to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America through a special moment during the 250th pick at the 2026 NFL Draft.

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Media Contacts:

Ian Martin, Ian.Martin@nfl.com
Morgan Rubin, Morgan.Rubin@nfl.com
A’Maiya Allen, AMaiya.Allen@nfl.com