From New York to Australia, fans arrive at Pittsburgh International Airport for once-in-a-lifetime NFL Draft

Jeff Solomon may live in New York state, but his hometown of Pittsburgh still has his heart - so much so that he considers himself a member of the city's diaspora.

That's why Mr. Solomon dropped everything to return home for the NFL Draft, the first time Pittsburgh has hosted the three-day event in his lifetime.

"How can you not?" he said Wednesday morning after his plane touched down at Pittsburgh International Airport. "It's a giant homecoming for all of us."

While Mr. Solomon already has memories made in Pittsburgh, he said was especially excited to see the reactions of first-time visitors taking in his hometown.

"For Pittsburgh to be the center of the universe for these three days," he said, "it's really special."

Mr. Solomon was among the hundreds of football fans who filed into the airport Wednesday morning from cities all over the United States - Chicago, Boston, Atlanta and Washington, among others. They'll join hundreds of thousands of other fans that the city's tourism bureau, VisitPittsburgh, expects to pack Downtown and the North Shore between Thursday and Saturday.

Pittsburgh International greeted arrivals with a range of pop-up stands in the landside terminal, including a mock draft stage and free samples of IC Light from Pittsburgh Brewing Company. A recording of Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato periodically echoed over the intercom, directing visitors to the famous Franco Harris statue, where airport volunteers stood ready to snap photos.

The airport left plenty of open space in the landside terminal and largely limited pop-ups to along the walls, allowing people to congregate and form lines.

Airport CEO Christina Cassotis said that she turned down suggestions to fill the whole terminal with promotions, invoking the rom-com "Love Actually," where the cast converges in an airport during the opening and final scenes.

"A lot of people can arrive and nothing is in their way," she said of her preferred setup.

‘I'm trying to take it all in' - Primanti Bros. included

More and more passengers touched down in Pittsburgh as the morning progressed, clad in a wide range of gear.

Jacksonville Jaguars "superfan" Rick Koepplim stood behind the mock draft podium wearing a custom-themed Iron Man helmet that mechanically opens and closes - an innovation a step above the stuffy mascot head one of his friends wears to games.

"I get a little bit of breeze in it," he said.

Mr. Koepplim was accompanied by Jerome Johnson - known in Jaguars fandom world as "Jaxon Ball Z" - who was wearing a shirt with his name and likeness.

Mr. Johnson obtained a ticket to sit in the NFL's exclusive Draft Theater, just feet away from where players and their new teams will be announced.

"The inner circle," he said. "I'm trying to take it all in."

Jerome Davis, from Atlanta, grew up rooting for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and wore a custom jersey with his nickname, "Boogeyman," printed across the back.

Mr. Davis was visiting Pittsburgh for the first time and was hoping to try some of the city's staple food offerings, including pierogi and a Primanti Bros. sandwich.

He's also hoping the Buccaneers will shore up their defense.

Fran Brown, also on the Atlanta flight, wore a hat and jersey representing his hometown Falcons.

All the same, he stopped to take a photo with the Franco statue because his father was a "huge fan."

International fans and the Pittsburgh experience

While the vast majority of passengers were from the United States, international fans also flew in to show their support.

Steelers fan Niam Rashford grew up in Australia but has spent the past two years living in Shadyside for work. Mr. Rashford is moving out next week, so his mother, Catherine Rashford, and godfather, Bill Spence, flew to Pittsburgh Wednesday - to visit him and to experience the NFL Draft.

Ms. Rashford said that she and Mr. Spence have started following the Steelers as a form of connection with Mr. Rashford. They've been able to "change codes" from their usual sports of Australian rules football and rugby when he talks to them about American football, even if it's at odd hours due to the time zone difference.

"He calls in the middle of the night - ‘You've got to watch this game!'" Ms. Rashford said with a laugh.

Mr. Rashford plans to remain an ardent Steelers fan even after he moves back to Australia. He recently bought tickets to the NFL's first-ever game in Melbourne, this September between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams.

Meanwhile, Austrian citizen Lukas Pesendorfer arrived wearing a San Francisco 49ers hoodie - the team he adopted on a whim during their trip to the Super Bowl in 2013, led by quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

"And then we lost, and I was like ‘OK, now I have to be a fan of this team,'" he said.

Mr. Pesendorfer flew into Pittsburgh from his home in Vienna for his first NFL Draft after a stop in Boston. He'll enjoy his Pittsburgh visit in style - his friend, David Rösler, is the 49ers International Fan of the Year and has a suite in the Marriott City Center in Downtown.

Mr. Pesendorfer said that he and Mr. Rösler would meet NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell later in the day, and that he couldn't wait to share his thoughts about the event.

"I love the NFL Draft and the whole process behind it - watching prospects, projecting them to the next level," he said.

As for Mr. Solomon, the New York transplant, his first order of business once he landed was to visit the Franco Harris statue, which was surrounded by black and gold balloons Wednesday morning.

He said the statue was particularly meaningful for him because he once had a "life-changing" lunch with Harris, who gave him advice on how to become an impactful leader.

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This story was originally published April 22, 2026 at 3:42 PM.