Ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, the league teamed with two Steelers greats to hammer home some messages.
With the 2026 NFL Draft coming to Pittsburgh on April 23-25, the NFL brought in legendary Pittsburgh Steelers Cam Heyward and Jerome Bettis, as well as a sledgehammer, to get the word out in its new ad, “Smash the Glass,” which debuted on Wednesday.
In the ad, created internally with L.A.-based NFL Creative Marketing, Heyward and Bettis are in the Steelers’ Hall of Honor, with Heyward ready to take a sledgehammer to a Super Bowl ring display to ensure the Steelers’ rings are featured at the 2026 Draft.
Bettis stops Heyward just before he destroys the display, noting, “I’m sure there’s a key for that.”
Following the interaction between Heyward and Bettis, the ad cuts to footage of past drafts, noting the Draft Day events in Pittsburgh include music, games, activations, and it’s all free to attend.
“The Steelers are such a part of the city that we wanted to make sure we were capturing that with two people who just really represent the team more than anything else,” Tony Isetta, NFL vice president of content marketing, told ADWEEK.
For each NFL Draft, the league tries to capture the spirit of the host city, Isetta explained, noting that the Draft experience is the league’s “centerpiece of fan engagement” during Draft week: “It’s a free, immersive football festival. There are so many things you can do there,” Isetta said.
The executive said the 2026 Draft will incorporate various parts of Pittsburgh, bringing the experience to everything from the walkable Roberto Clemente Bridge to the city’s Gateway Clipper Fleet.
Attractions and activities include a 40-yard Dash and autograph sessions at Pointe State Park, a North Shore Play60 Zone with vertical jump and field goal challenges, additional field goal kicking and fan viewing experiences on Acrisure Field, and a Bud Light Beer Hall and Taste of Pittsburgh restaurant experiences found on the North Shore. Fans can also expect a number of local vendors to be involved.
“This is an incredible football city, and I can’t wait to see fans from around the world come here, because Steelers fans aren’t like anyone else,” Bettis said in a statement.
Bud Light is the presenting sponsor of the Draft, but several other brands will also play a role, including Lowe’s, Verizon, Marriott Bonvoy, Snickers, and Copilot by Microsoft. Meanwhile, American Express, the newly announced Official Payments Partner of the NFL, is bringing experiences to tentpole events, including the Draft, and Toyota will serve as the Draft’s red carpet sponsor.
