CLAIRTON, Pa. — Before Tyler Boyd was an NFL veteran and Pitt record-holder, he was a Clairton Bear.
It was a legendary high school career that included four WPIAL and PIAA titles. The Bears went 63-1 with Boyd, who holds the WPIAL record in career touchdowns.
Boyd recalls chasing those championships in less-than-ideal conditions.
“When I was a kid, I was wishing that we had turf growing up, as well,” Boyd said. “We had the field covered in mud.”
Clairton’s teams of the future don’t have to wish.
Tyler Boyd Stadium now features that turf field, along with new bleachers, scoreboard, lighting and press box.
“The focal point is this football field. This is the heart and soul of the city,” Boyd said. “It’s very exciting, first and foremost. It’s an incredible feeling.”
Now, the stadium is ready for the 2025 Bears to start their season. It begins Friday with their first home game against Imani Christian.
“It was a very beautiful thing, coming from grass where it was dirt patches,” said Donte Wright, senior safety and running back. “It seems good to have turf and be appreciated on a football level.”
The upgrades mean more than just better playing conditions. They also send a message.
“You have to have the grades, the attitude and the aptitude to be able to be the athlete that Tyler is today,” said Clairton superintendent Dr. Tamara Allen-Thomas. “Kids can see what they want to be and that makes it more obtainable for them because he’s tangible.”
It sounds like that message is already resonating.
“(Boyd) came from the same program, locker room we’ve been in,” said Clairton senior quarterback Jeff Thompson. “Just a professional at what he does right now. We’re just trying to follow his footsteps or be even better.”
For Boyd, that’s what this stadium is really about.
“I always told myself that I would always come back and help and support the next generation or whoever is in need of help. I was going to be that guy,” Boyd said. “I’m going to try my best to help kids be the best version of themselves, whether they make it to the league or not.”
The stadium will undergo a second round of renovations.
The district plans to build a fieldhouse with new locker rooms, training spaces and classrooms.
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