Pat Narduzzi boasts excitement for Pittsburgh to share facilities with Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh has one of the more interesting ongoing relationships in football with their college team in the Panthers and their pro team in the Steelers. It’s a beneficial one, too, that Pat Narduzzi says that his program takes full advantage of.

Narduzzi discussed Pittsburgh’s connection to the Pittsburgh Steelers while on ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ on Friday, with the Panthers, ranked No. 22 for the CFP, set to host a Top 25 matchup against No. 9 Notre Dame tomorrow afternoon at Acrisure Stadium. He said their college program has made the most of the privilege, whether in recruiting, with their team, or for their coaches, getting to be around the work of their city’s professional team with a shared practice facility and stadium.

“Yeah, you know, the ability to practice next to Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers is absolutely, probably one of the biggest advantages we have at Pittsburgh,” Narduzzi said. “You know, in the summer, our guys will be out there watching their team practice. We get to watch the tempo. Recruits come and watch what we do there with the Steelers. You know, we’re out there on the field at the same exact time practicing – you know, they’re on one end, Mike Tomlin is walking down and seeing what we’re doing, you know, we’re walking off the field and watching what they’re doing. I think it’s a major advantage.

“All of our guys want to play in the National Football League. But, for our guys to go watch how it’s done at the next level, at the same facility? And, as a coach, I mean, it’s special for us. I mean, you know, whether it’s OTAs? We’re out, and we’ve got a patio overlooking their practice. We can walk out there, see what they’re doing – whether it’s special teams, offense, defense – and just pick up, you know, different things…You talk about just those little things you can pick up as a football coach? It comes down to the details and the little things.”

The Panthers and Steelers have each played their home games inside Acrisure Stadium, formerly known as Heinz Field, since it opened in 2001. They also share their practice facilities at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.

Not every college team has a pro one next door, let alone, in this case, in the same house as them. That’s a distinct opportunity that these two football teams have continued to make the most of in the city of Pittsburgh.