It’s official: Clairton breaks ground for the future Tyler Boyd Stadium

The sun came out after a rainy and gloomy Wednesday morning to shine on Clairton City School District leaders, players, cheerleaders, elected officials and residents as they broke ground for the future Tyler Boyd Stadium. It’s named for the Clairton football standout who went on to play at the University of Pittsburgh and now plays wide receiver for the National Football League’s Tennessee Titans.

School Board President Rikell Ford called the project a “significant milestone.” She said the 94-year-old stadium that has been the setting for many celebrations is beginning a much-needed renovation. The two-phase $9 million Invest in Champions renovation and education initiative is “designed to level the field for students so they can compete academically and after graduation,” she continued.

The Clairton Bears football team played its final game at the stadium last month that included senior recognition for its players, as well as band members, majorettes and cheerleaders. The team has played and will continue to play home games at Thomas Jefferson High School Stadium while the stadium project moves forward.

Neil C. Brown Stadium, which opened on Nov. 21, 1930, is ready for a major makeover and new name, according to a news release. Phase one renovations, funded by a $4.6 million taxpayer bond issue, will include a new synthetic turf field with drainage system, walking track, LED lights and towers, 1,200-seat aluminum grandstand, press box, scoreboard, and upgraded electrical system. Plans call for it all to be complete in 2025.

Phase two improvements, which will be paid through a fundraising campaign, will involve demolition of the concrete grandstand, construction of a new field house with locker rooms, training and weight rooms, officials room, and a large group instruction room. A new stadium entrance will feature updated concession and restroom facilities. Two academic initiatives also will be part of it. Ford said the current after-school program is at capacity, and the campaign will expand on that, and a new entrepreneurship program will build on current successful efforts available to students. The committee estimates the cost for phase two between $4 million and $5 million, according to a campaign news release.

Boyd’s family members — his mother, Tonya Payne; daughter, Taylen Boyd; and grandfather Milton Payne — were special guests at the ceremony. His former football coach Tom Nola attended, as well as current head coach Wayne Wade.

Boyd could not make it, so he sent a statement that Athletic Director and Communications Coordinator Alexis Trubiani read. “The times I spent on this field with my teammates were some of the greatest,” it began. He thanked his teammates and coaches, especially Nola, and his family for helping him achieve success. The decision to name the stadium after him is “truly a great honor, and I will be there for the grand opening.” Until then, he wrote, “Tighten Up, and let’s go Bears.”

Boyd, a 2013 graduate, set a WPIAL record with 117 career touchdowns and finished as the fifth-leading rusher in WPIAL annals with 5,755 yards. In his four varsity seasons, the team won four WPIAL and four PIAA Class A titles, according to a Clairton Middle/High School Facebook page post. Boyd played in the Big 33 Football Classic and was named the game’s MVP. Boyd also played basketball at Clairton, helping lead the Bears to the WPIAL Class A title game and the PIAA playoffs as a senior, and he also lettered in baseball. Following his senior season, Boyd played in the 2013 U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio’s Alamodome, where he announced his decision to attend the University of Pittsburgh.

After playing at Pitt for three seasons from 2013-15, the Cincinnati Bengals drafted him in the second round in 2016, and he played for them for eight years, including one Super Bowl appearance. Now on the Tennessee Titans offense, Boyd is a member of the Clairton Hall of Fame and WPIAL Hall of Fame.

Clairton Mayor Rich Lattanzi called the initiative a “brand new start for the stadium and the football program.” It will also benefit others, including the youth football teams, spurring them “to do what they love,” he said.

State Sen. Jim Brewster, who is retiring at the end of the year, recalled being present for the project’s reveal last year, and he stressed that he and State Rep. Matt Gergely are committed to bringing state funds to help pay for it. He said he grew up with Nola and recalled watching the CHS football team win a state championship; he has a helmet — signed by the team, including Boyd — in his office.  

Ford said the project’s second phase is needed because the district’s current after-school program is at capacity, serving about 60 students, and another 100 students need help to improve their proficiencies in math, science, English and language arts. The entrepreneurship program, World of Work, will help up to 150 students start their own enterprises and create products and services. “They will shop, buy and sell, partnering with local companies and learning how to be successful in the workplace,” she said.

Roger Tachoir, a longtime school board member who chairs the stadium renovation committee, said this day has been a long time coming. “Thanks to everyone who believed it would happen, those who never gave up hope,” he said, adding that the team, fans and community deserve it. Tachoir, who also taught at the high school, said he is pleased that the stadium is being named for the “greatest player to ever come out of Clairton.”

In closing, he said the district will continue to update everyone on the progress of the stadium construction and the project. The district will continue to work together as a team “to accomplish great things, both in the classroom and on the field.”