Once, this place was known as the cradle of quarterbacks. Western Pennsylvania sent a crew of them to the NFL, as it did all types of football players, coaches, scouts and even those who cover the sport in the media around the country.
There is one more level of employment in the NFL that has deep Western Pennsylvania roots — the officials, the referees, umpires, line and side judges, etc. who have worked games since practically the league's inception.
So many from Western Pennsylvania went on to work in the NFL, including its officials, because it was in their blood.