Pittsburgh isn’t a football town, it’s the football town.

This is a central theme of “The Football Town,” a 52-minute documentary produced by NFL Films in collaboration with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Visit Pittsburgh and U.S. Steel.

The film is the first activation leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh and will debut to the public on Saturday at the Kamin Science Center’s Rangos Giant Cinema. Screenings will run for two months, through draft weekend on April 23-25.

“The Football Town” dives into Western Pennsylvania’s deep rooted football heritage and how it connects to the blue-collar culture that Pittsburgh was built on.

Sports analyst and Pittsburgh native Pat McAfee narrates the film, sharing his own insight on the Steel City’s legacy of grit and tradition, according to the film’s producer.

“This is everything that Pat wanted to say about Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania, which is a place that he loves very much,” NFL Films coordinating producer Neil Zender said.

Zender, a Washington state native, shared the uniqueness of Pittsburgh football culture during a press conference on Monday.

“Football is different here,” Zender said. “It means more to people here.”

“The Football Town” marks NFL Films’ first immersive format documentary and its first time using a Dolby Atmos sound mix in a film. The film features an original music score from David Robidoux, a nine-time Emmy Award-winning composer.

“One of the reasons the NFL selected Pittsburgh to host the 2026 NFL Draft was the region’s deep roots in football,” Dan Rooney III, the Steelers’ vice president of business development and strategy, said.

The 2026 NFL Draft Football Legacy Committee, co-chaired by Rooney and former Steeler Charlie Batch, aims to honor Pittsburgh’s rich football culture and the stars who built it, according to Rooney.

“Western Pa. has much to celebrate, from the ties to the very origins of the draft, which can be traced back to a 1935 NFL owners meeting over at the Fort Pitt Hotel,” Rooney said. “…Beyond the Steelers, Western Pa. has produced an extraordinary amount of football talent.”

The film guides viewers through a fall weekend in Pittsburgh, from WPIAL football, to Pop Warner youth leagues, to Pitt football, to Steelers games.

“We just thought that it was really magical that it’s a city of neighborhoods, and the neighborhoods compete against the neighborhoods,” Zender said.

“The Football Town” explores the prominence of Pittsburgh’s 90 neighborhoods through WPIAL football and Pop Warner football, solidifying the relevance of the official 2026 NFL Draft countdown clock in the North Shore, which displays the city’s neighborhoods and high school football teams on either side.

“We are able to use this [film] as a runway to what’s going to take place in late April in Western Pennsylvania and in Pittsburgh…” Rooney said. “It’s just going to be so special. This film captures what Pittsburgh’s about, in my opinion.”

“The Football Town” features well-known Steelers including Bill Cowher, Jerome Bettis, James Harrison, Chris Hoke and Joey Porter Sr.

The film will begin screening on Saturday, Feb. 28. Tickets are $10.