A new documentary that showcases football as the heartbeat of Pittsburgh and the thread that connects generations across Western Pennsylvania will begin showing Saturday, Feb. 28, at the Kamin Science Center on the North Shore.
The 52-minute film, titled “The Football Town,” will be available exclusively at the Science Center through the NFL Draft, and a post-Draft schedule will be determined later.
Tickets for the NFL Films production, which is narrated by Plum native, West Virginia University alum and former NFL punter Pat McAfee, are $10.
Western Pennsylvania has a rich football history. From playing a role in the very creation of the NFL Draft in 1935 at the Fort Pitt Hotel to building an NFL dynasty with six Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl titles, that legacy only scratches the surface of what football means to the region.
Dan Rooney, son of current Steelers owner and president Art Rooney II, noted at a Monday screening of the film that beyond the Steelers, Western Pennsylvania has produced more than 750 NFL players, including over 20 Hall of Famers, along with legendary coaches and scouts.
“As conversations began about how to highlight this legacy, we knew the story deserved to be told in a deeper, more expansive way,” Rooney said. “The concept for this film was born and given to NFL Films, the perfect partner to bring it to life. The release of ‘The Football Town’ marks the beginning of our celebration and sets the tone for everything to come as we build toward the draft. We’re proud and excited to share it with you.”
The 2026 NFL Draft will be held in Pittsburgh beginning April 23 and it will run through April 25.
“The Football Town” features the likes of Bill Cowher and Jerome Bettis along the North Shore riverwalk, as well as former Steelers Chris Hoke and James Harrison watching their sons — Lincoln Hoke and James Harrison III — compete for North Allegheny High School against Seneca Valley under Friday night lights.
The film illustrates how football becomes part of life for many Pittsburghers from the day they are born.
NFL Films attended three Friday high school games: Hopewell vs. North Catholic, North Allegheny vs. Seneca Valley, and Ambridge vs. Aliquippa.
“Watching that film as a young football player growing up in Pittsburgh, I was thinking about how fond those memories were playing youth football in the various communities and how fun it was playing with your buddies,” said Rooney, who played high school football at Shady Side Academy.
“There’s really nothing like Friday night lights, whether you’re at your home stadium in high school or going to play a rival with your friends. That’s what makes football special.”
Rooney noted that the Pittsburgh area boasts every level of football, from youth leagues to high schools, to the University of Pittsburgh and other area college programs, topped by the Steelers. He said each level gives participants an opportunity to build teamwork and bonds with fellow players and coaches.
“I can remember many fall weekends where I’d play in a youth game, go to a Pitt game the next day, and then a Steelers game the following day,” he said.
NFL Films’ Neil Zender, the film’s writer and director, noted the challenges of making the film, describing it as the first immersive documentary NFL Films has ever made.
The film is being shown on the Science Center’s 71-by-40-foot screen, creating a fully enveloping viewing experience.
Zender said the use of the ARRI Alexa 35 Xtreme, capable of shooting 660 frames per second, allowed the filmmakers to capture trademark spiral shots such as one thrown by North Catholic’s Joey Felitsky to Preston Simko for a touchdown.
Zender said the goal was to encapsulate an entire fall football weekend in Western Pennsylvania.
“When we were invited to make this film, we threw everything at it,” he said. “We wanted to capture one weekend in Western Pennsylvania, so we had seven different crews filming Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We had two drone crews hopping from game to game and even a helicopter capturing Friday night lights across the region.”
He joked that his crews must have been speeding to get from one game to the next.
Filmmakers also included youth league teams from Homewood, Steel Valley, Peters Township and Aliquippa.
“We wanted to show that neighborhoods compete against each other in Pop Warner and high school football, and then unite behind the Steelers,” Zender said. “It may sound simple, but football truly brings this community together.”
The documentary moves from high school stadiums to youth fields, from Pitt Panthers football to Sunday church services, and ultimately to the Steelers — the team that unites the city.
David Robidoux wrote the musical score based on the finished film.
McAfee, with his Yinzer accent, brought Pittsburgh through and through.
“We were also thrilled to have Pat McAfee narrate,” Zender said. “From the moment he heard about it, he was excited. Most narrations follow a script exactly, but Pat had a lot to say. When you hear the word ‘yinzer,’ that’s Pat. This reflects what he wanted to say about Pittsburgh — a place he loves deeply.”
From College Gameday coverage to actual footage of U.S. Steel mills to the Immaculate Reception and to stunning visuals of the three rivers, the film showcases everything.
“The draft is coming here because football means something different in Pittsburgh,” Zender said. “We wanted to show why. Sometimes people don’t appreciate what’s in their backyard. We wanted to remind people how special football is here and share that with visitors who will come for the draft.”
Zender added that the film is titled “The Football Town” because it’s from McAfee’s point of view.
“If you’re from Pittsburgh, it’s not a football town — it’s the football town,” Zender said. “Every city has its own story. This is Pittsburgh’s.”
Rooney said he is grateful for the support from everyone who made the documentary and for those who made the upcoming NFL Draft in Pittsburgh possible.
“One of the reasons the NFL selected Pittsburgh to host the 2026 NFL Draft was this region’s deep roots in football,” Rooney said. “From the outset, a priority for the Pittsburgh Organizing Committee has been to shine a light on Western Pennsylvania’s impact on the game. It’s been my honor to co-chair, alongside Charlie Batch, the 2026 NFL Draft Football Legacy Committee, focused on honoring Pittsburgh’s rich football heritage and the legendary athletes who shaped it.”
Those who watched Monday’s early showing now are curious if there will be a sequel.
“There’s more than enough for a sequel,” Zender said. “You can’t capture everything football means to Pittsburgh in 52 minutes. But our goal was to capture the soul of it — not list every accomplishment, but show what people here feel.”
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