‘The Football Town’ celebrates Western Pennsylvania’s football tradition
Pittsburgh will host the NFL Draft in 60 days, and the celebration officially gets underway Saturday at Kamin Science Center with the release of “The Football Town, a documentary that celebrates Western Pennsylvania’s storied football tradition.
The NFL Films documentary will run at the science center’s Rangos Giant Cinema in the weeks leading to the draft, being held from April 23-25.
“This is our first real activation headed up to the NFL Draft,” said Jim Britt, VisitPITTSBURGH Vice President of Sports Events, at a media preview screening on Monday. “We believe that football is just a pure part of the culture of Western Pennsylvania.”
The documentary was created in partnership with the Steelers, VisitPittsburgh and U.S. Steel.
“The Football Town” explores Western Pennsylvania’s gridiron legacy and features appearances by Steelers legends Bill Cowher, Jerome Bettis, Joey Porter Sr., James Harrison, and others.
It also highlights a number of youth, high school and college football programs, from Pop Warner players to the Pitt Panthers.
Most of the footage was shot over a single weekend by seven camera crews.
It is narrated by football analyst and former NFL punter Pat McAfee, a Plum native and, according to NFL Films coordinating producer Neil Zender, wrote his own narration.
“One of the things a newborn yinzer learns is football is an important part of life,” McAfee says in the film, as footage of babies swaddled in Terrible Towel blankets in a Pittsburgh hospital maternity unit plays.
The film also dives into the region’s steel industry and its blue-collar history, and the “grit” of Pittsburghers.
Dan Rooney, Steelers vice president of strategy, noted the significant role Western Pennsylvania has played in the growth of the NFL.
“Western Pennsylvania 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, to building a dynasty through the draft under coach Chuck Noll,” Rooney said.
He noted that the region has produced more than 750 NFL players, including over 20 Hall of Famers, along with legendary coaches and scouts. The 1974 Steelers draft class produced five Hall of Famers and is generally considered the best draft class in NFL history.
Zender said the film was challenging to make, and that NFL Films used, for the time, a specialized camera to accommodate the theater’s 71-by-40-foot screens, which is twice as large as most movie screens. Drones and helicopters were used to shoot footage.
In many ways, the film is a love note to the region and its passion for football – one scene is shot in a church on Sunday, where many of the church-goers are clad in black and gold – and it pays homage to Pittsburgh’s football history and the legendary athletes who have shaped it.
“Pittsburgh isn’t just a football town, it’s THE football town. Football is different here. It means more to people here,” said Zender.
Rooney was delighted with the film.
“As conversations began about how to highlight this legacy, we knew the story deserved to be told in a deeper, more expansive way, he said. “The concept for this film was born and given to NFL Films, and they were the perfect partner to bring this film 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 to share this with you.”
“The Football Town will run from Saturday through the NFL Draft at the Kamin Science Center’s Rangos Giant Cinema. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased on the science center’s website.