While lots of places across America might consider themselves to be football towns, a new documentary produced by Mt. Lebanon native Leo McCafferty makes the case that Pittsburgh is actually THE football town.
In preparation for next month’s NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, the 52-minute film The Football Town, specially produced for Kamin Science Center’s Rangos Giant Cinema and NFL Films’ first-ever immersive format documentary, tells the story of western Pennsylvania’s deep-rooted connection to the sport and its intrinsic ties to the culture and the people in the region.
McCafferty, who grew up on Osage Road, was a big Pittsburgh sports fan and turned his love of storytelling and sports into a sports journalism degree from Penn State University.
After graduation, he spent five years at NFL Films, then worked for more than a decade for the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he wrote the Emmy Award-winning behind-the-scenes documentary In the Room. He founded his own production company, Lion’s Tale Media, in 2024.
McCafferty credits his fourth-grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary for sending him down the writing path. “My journey to being hired by NFL Films, which set me on this trajectory I’m on today, started in Mrs. [Cynthia] Biery’s fourth-grade creative writing after-school class,” he said.
McCafferty can thank his NFL Film’s connection and a fellow Mt. Lebanon native for bringing him aboard The Football Town project. It turns out Keith Cossrow, vice president and head of content at NFL Films, was his mentor. According to McCafferty, Cossrow was looking for “a local boots-on-the-ground producer/director to authentically tell the story” and thought McCafferty would be perfect.
Seven crews descended upon the city of Pittsburgh for one fall weekend last October, shooting a variety of football games, including high school, Pop Warner youth football, and the Steelers vs. the Green Bay Packers.
Because of the size and scope of the Rangos Giant Cinema’s immersive experience, McCafferty said “We had to reimagine everything we were doing from directing, to shooting to editing. It was really invigorating for everybody because we’d all been doing this for a long time, but it forced us to rethink how we went about our jobs. It was fun and it was a challenge.”
The film is narrated by Pat McAfee, Plum native and player turned sports media superstar. It also features the likes of Steelers legends Bill Cowher and Jerome Bettis, as well as former players Joey Porter Sr., Chris Hoke and James Harrison.
“Aliquippa is the only high school in America that has three NFL Hall of Famers from one school and Hopewell, which surrounds Aliquippa, has Tony Dorsett, which is pretty remarkable,” McCafferty said.
And if that wasn’t enough, the documentary points out over 750 players from Western Pennsylvania have been drafted into the NFL.
The Football Town is presented by NFL Films in partnership with U.S. Steel, VisitPITTSBURGH and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Because U.S. Steel was one of the sponsors, NFL Film crews were given access to aspects of the steelmaking process at the Edgar Thomson Steel Works in Braddock that most crews never see.
“Steelmaking is organically tied to the film,” said McCafferty. “The people that the steelmaking industry produced is one of grit and hard work and determination, which is tangibly represented on a football field and is part of the reason the sport binds us all together because it’s representative of the people that we have in this region, and also is the namesake of the team.”
“It’s more than just a game. It’s a way of life and Pittsburgh is THE football town,” McCafferty said.
“The Football Town” is at the Kamin Science Center now, and runs throughout the weeks leading up to and following the 2026 NFL Draft taking place in Pittsburgh April 23 through 25. For tickets, visit https://kaminsciencecenter.org/rangos-giant-cinema/the-football-town/. [1]