Longtime NFL writer Ben Volin ranks Pittsburgh as the ninth-best NFL city

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Longtime NFL writer Ben Volin of the Boston Globe released an article today that ranked the best NFL designations. Volin has covered more than 200 NFL games in 13 years as a writer, in 29 NFL cities, plus Mexico City. The only NFL cities that he hasn't been to are Los Angeles, Seattle and Las Vegas.

Volin ranks the NFL’s 30 football cities based on the fan experience, which includes tourist attractions, weather, stadium atmosphere, ticket availability, and accessibility to the stadium.

Pittsburgh came in at No. 9 in Volin's rankings.

"Pittsburgh rocks, especially if you don’t have to rent a car," Volin wrote. "The 20-minute walk from downtown across the bridge to Heinz Field is a great way to start the day. The stadium itself is fantastic, offering beautiful views of the skyline. And Steelers fans always bring the energy."

New Orleans ranked No. 1 on Volin's list as the NFL's best designation, as the food, culture, nightlife and atmosphere in the "Big Easy" is hard to top.

As for the other AFC North cities, Volin ranks Cleveland 16th, Baltimore 25th and Cincinnati dead least at 30th.