The Pittsburgh Steelers will hold their training camp at Heinz Field and their training complex after the NFL nixed their plan for an offsite location.
The team traditionally holds camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa., but the NFL rejected the team’s COVID-19 plan.
“We were prepared to safely host Training Camp on campus with fans, but unfortunately our plan was not approved due to the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols,” Steelers spokesman Burt Lauten said Thursday.
“We will now have training camp, which is slated to begin in late July, split between Heinz Field and the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. Once our practice schedule is finalized, we will announce plans to host fans at Heinz Field for a select number of practices.”
The Steelers held training camp at the college from 1967 until 2020, when the pandemic kept teams at home for camp. Lauten said the team intends to return to Latrobe in 2022.
“We are disappointed in the NFL’s and NFLPA’s decision regarding training camp, as one of our favorite annual traditions is welcoming the Steelers and their fans to campus,” said Father Paul Taylor, O.S.B., the Saint Vincent College president, in a statement released Thursday. “The Steelers are an important part of the Saint Vincent community, and we look forward to welcoming the team and fans back next summer. As they begin the 2021 season, we pray for the health and safety of the entire organization and Steelers fans around the world, as well as an end to this pandemic.”