Pitt Football's Spring Game Closed to Public, Focused on Intensity

Pitt's annual spring game will feature a jersey scrimmage format with the first-team offense facing the first-team defense.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 1:22pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a Pitt football spring game scrimmage, with players in motion represented through overlapping planes of blue and gold shapes.Pitt's spring game scrimmage will feature the first-team offense and defense facing off in an intense, closed-door session as the team prepares for the upcoming season.Today in Pittsburgh

Pitt football's 2026 Blue-Gold Spring Game is set for Saturday at Acrisure Stadium, but this year's event will look quite different. The spring game will be closed to the public due to ongoing preparations for the upcoming NFL Draft in Pittsburgh. Instead, only parents, families, recruits, Pitt staff, and media will be in attendance. The format will also change, with a jersey scrimmage pitting the first-team offense against the first-team defense, rather than a traditional draft format splitting players into two teams.

Why it matters

Pitt's spring game is an important event for fans to get a preview of the upcoming season, but the unique circumstances this year - including the NFL Draft taking over the North Shore area - have forced the university to make some adjustments. While the public won't be able to attend, the coaching staff is still expecting an intense and competitive scrimmage as they evaluate their top players.

The details

The spring game will not be televised, but KDKA 1020 AM will provide live radio coverage. Pittsburgh Sports Now will also be on-site providing live updates and in-depth coverage. The scoring system will award points to the offense for touchdowns and the defense for takeaways and stops. While official stats won't be kept, the media will report on key plays throughout the day. Head coach Pat Narduzzi's main objectives are to avoid injuries and see crisp, competitive play from his first-team units on both sides of the ball.

  • Pitt's spring game is set for 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 12, 2026.
  • The NFL Draft will be held in Pittsburgh just two weeks after the spring game.

The players

Pat Narduzzi

Pitt's head football coach, who is expecting an intense and competitive spring game despite the closed-door format.

Ryan Carretta

Pitt offensive lineman who will be snapping the ball to the first-team quarterback during the spring game scrimmage.

Mason Heintschel

Pitt's first-team quarterback who will be leading the offense against the first-team defense in the spring game.

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What they’re saying

“Obviously not excited. I'm happy for the NFL draft to be here. There'll be 500 to 700,000 fans in Pittsburgh, it's crazy. Not happy about it. Some things are out of our control as a university at times, but ESPN has taken over that whole parking lot. It's gonna be, there's no parking.”

— Pat Narduzzi, Head Coach

“It'll be a lot more intense, I think, than a normal scrimmage. It won't be as long as a normal jersey scrimmage. We'll figure out the play count later, but it won't be long, but it'll be pretty intense. So, I'm kinda excited about to do it that way, and it should be a good time. The twos and threes will get more reps than the ones, but it'll be good work.”

— Pat Narduzzi, Head Coach

What’s next

Pitt will hold its annual Blue-Gold Spring Game on Saturday, April 12, 2026 at Acrisure Stadium. The event will be closed to the general public, but parents, families, recruits, Pitt staff, and media will be in attendance. The format will feature a jersey scrimmage with the first-team offense facing the first-team defense.

The takeaway

Pitt's spring game will have a different look this year due to the ongoing preparations for the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh. While the public won't be able to attend, the coaching staff is still expecting an intense and competitive scrimmage as they evaluate their top players ahead of the 2026 season.