Former Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald revealed that the NFL nearly backed out of hosting its 2026 draft in Pittsburgh after seeing severe flooding during a visit years earlier.
Fitzgerald shared the account on the Sacred Grounds featuring Robby and Uncle Paulie podcast. He recalled that during an NFL visit around the time of Pittsburgh Pirates opening day in early April, Point State Park and the riverwalk were underwater due to what officials described as a hundred-year flood. League representatives expressed doubts, saying they did not think they could hold the event there.
