By Teresa Varley for Steelers.com
The Steelers are headed to Ireland tonight and players are excited about the unique opportunity to bring Steelers football to a new audience.
The Steelers host the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday at historic Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland. Kickoff for the game will be at 2:30 p.m. local time in Ireland, 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time.
“This is something really cool for the Steelers,” said tight end Pat Freiermuth, who was part of a group from the team to visit Ireland in April. “Obviously, the history with the Rooney family being from Ireland, and for us to be able to bring the Steelers logo to Ireland and officially play a game there, it’s special.”
The Steelers played in The American Bowl at Croke Park in a preseason game against the Chicago Bears in 1997, a game the Steelers won.
The Steelers-Vikings game will be the first NFL regular season game ever played in Ireland and being a part of it comes with a sense of pride.
“It’s definitely an honor that you’re going to be the first team to play a regular season game there,” said Freiermuth. “They love football in Ireland. They have an American Football League there. So, it’s awesome to be able to bring our football culture to Ireland.
“When we were there, they had signs everywhere already for the game. They love it when we come over and play football there. I went to a rugby game there, and I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like for an NFL game. It’s going to be loud. It’s going to be crazy. And it’ll be fun.”
The Rooney family has deep roots in Ireland, with the family immigrating to the United States from Newry, County Down in Ireland. Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney served as the United States Ambassador to Ireland from 2009-2012, while also co-founding The Ireland Funds.
“It’s really special with the ties that Mr. Rooney and the Rooney family have to Ireland for us to be the first NFL team to host a game there,” said defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, who made a trip to Ireland for his podcast. “It speaks to the ties that are bigger than sports.”
The Steelers were awarded rights to expand their brand and activities on the island of Ireland as part of the NFL’s ‘Global Markets Program’ in 2023, hosting multiple events in Ireland, including the first ever Steelers Draft Party in 2025, as well as youth football clinics and Steelers watch parties since 2023.
Now with a regular season game in Ireland, the players are excited to bring a new sport to Ireland, one that differs from what fans might be accustomed to.
“We got such a warm welcome when we here in Dublin,” said Heyward. “It should create a really cool atmosphere for all Steelers fans coming over from the States. It’s just going to be a really cool place to play.
“They’ve got a lot of different sports going on in Ireland. There’s rugby, Gaelic football and hurling. They talk about our game being very complicated, but I think Gaelic football and rugby are two of the more complicated sports I’ve ever seen.
“And getting to play at Croke Park, you can just feel the history there. For an NFL regular season game to be there, it’s going to be really special. The fans are going to be locked in. I got to take in a rugby game, and if they get that rowdy for a rugby game, they’re going to love an NFL game.”
While some players have already had the opportunity to visit Dublin, it will be the first time some players will be heading abroad and they can’t wait.
“I’ve never used my passport before,” said linebacker Nick Herbig. “I’ve never been out of the country. Just that experience alone for me will be special. It shows you the things football can do for you.
“And I know we have a huge fan base in Ireland. Being able to go there and perform for them and put on a show. It’s awesome.”
Family affair: Receiver Calvin Austin III is one of a handful of Steelers players who have already visited Ireland, taking part in American Football Youth Camps in Belfast and Cork in conjunction with coaches from American Football Ireland in 2024.
Austin, along with tight end Connor Heyward, was among the instructors for the free camps that were held for those ages 9-18.
“When we went to the camp, some of the kids were telling us they played using us on Madden and stuff like that,” said Austin. “To me that was crazy because I didn’t think they would really know who we were.
“But knowing that definitely makes it even more exciting being here.”
In addition to the football camp, Austin had the opportunity to tour Dublin and see some of the sites.
“It was really cool being over there, touring the city and everything,” said Austin. “The people were really courteous. The food was good. When they found out we were Steelers, they were really excited about us being over there and they knew a lot about us and the NFL in general.
“It was cool just to see how far the game reaches.”
Austin can’t wait for the game on Sunday to play in front of a crowd that he thinks will be filled with Steelers fans, including his parents.
“It’s going to be amazing playing in a stadium that is so historic,” said Austin of the game at Croke Park. “I know the fans will show up and show out for both sides, so I think the environment will be crazy.
“We’ll be looking forward to seeing that, especially with my family here. It’s a once in a lifetime experience to play in front of your family overseas.”
Being prepared: The Steelers shifted their schedule somewhat this week, moving practice ahead for Wednesday and Thursday.
For some, it could be a disruption to change the schedule and play a game overseas in Ireland.
For those in the Steelers locker room, it’s simply an honor.
“It definitely adds a layer of excitement that’s unique because of the change of venue,” said special teams captain Miles Killebrew of the game in historic Croke Park. “You’ve got a bunch of guys who haven’t even been out of the country before. It adds a certain level of mystique to the process.
“But as far as the game goes, we’re just going to go play the same game that we’ve been playing. So, there’s a certain level of comfort there in the continuity.”
Football players can be creatures of habit, but Killebrew said he isn’t concerned about the change.
“I’ll tell you why,” said Killebrew. “I find comfort in the fact that the Vikings have the same logistics issues that we have. I let the powers that be handle all of the A to Z details. I just have to go out there and focus on special teams, which is nice.”
Killebrew knows what the game means to the Steelers organization, and the Rooney family in particular, and that touches him.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for us to delve into that historical aspect of the Steelers, when you start talking about ownership and the background,” said Killebrew. “I think it’s going to be a great time.
“We get to bridge that gap from Ireland to Pittsburgh physically and it’s going to be a time that we’re all going to remember.”
If there is one player in the Steelers locker room who understands what Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings in Ireland means to the Rooney family, it’s defensive tackle Cameron Heyward.
Heyward is the only player on the Steelers roster who knew late Steelers chairman and U.S. Ambassador to Ireland, Dan Rooney, and was aware of his life-long dream of playing a regular season game in his homeland of Ireland.
Heyward was drafted by the Steelers in 2011, forming a relationship with Dan Rooney before he passed away in 2017.
“I’ve always been a firm believer in honoring those who have done it right and represented not only the Steelers, but our country well as the Ambassador to Ireland,” said Heyward. “I just think it’s one of those moments where we always talked about going to Ireland, but to see it come to fruition is really special.”
Heyward visited Dublin in May, taking part in events for the Steelers and recording an episode for his Not Just Football podcast.
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It was a visit that opened his eyes to how special a place it is.
“The great thing about Ireland is they are so welcoming to the Steelers,” said Heyward. “That is going to make for a great game.
“I learned how prideful the people in the city are. Also, how inquisitive they are about our game.
“And it was amazing. Everybody there knows about Mr. Rooney. I think they were just as excited when Mr. Rooney became the Ambassador because it was a special link between America and Ireland.”
Heyward visited Croke Park during his trip to Ireland in May and can’t wait to play in the historic venue.
“It really is historic,” said Heyward. “It’s wild when they have a standing room only section. And I was like, if we’re doing this, it’s going to be rocking. I got to watch a game there. The intensity was crazy, and everybody was on the edge of their seat. Everybody’s just locked in. There’s no going off to grab some food during the game. They wait for halftime to really have some food. So, the fans are totally locked in for their games.”
Heyward can’t wait to be on the pitch instead of in the stands when the Steelers play the Vikings on Sunday, and expects the crowd to be fired up.
“I think it’s going to be special,” said Heyward. “I know Ireland is not too fond of Vikings to begin with from learning the history there. So, I think we’re going to have a really good showing for Ireland.
“And to have ‘Renegade’ played in Ireland, it should have a lot of people jumping around.”
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Focused on the task at hand: While playing a game in Dublin has been a huge topic of conversation around the Steelers this week, the focus on the task at hand of beating the Minnesota Vikings is first and foremost on everyone’s mind.
Last week the defense held the New England Patriots to 6-of-13 on third down conversions, but they were able to convert 4-of-5 on fourth down, something they know has to change.
And the best way to do that is force third-and-long.
“It’s keeping them in a manageable, longer third down,” said cornerback Darius Slay. “Last week we got them to third down, and we won third down. But then they got to the fourth and ones.
“Now in the league, that’s what everybody’s doing now. It’s about going for it on fourth and one. It doesn’t matter if it’s a quarterback sneak, whatever needs to be done.
“So, we’ve got to keep them out of a manageable fourth down, so they don’t attempt it.”
Slay said trying to hold them to a third-and-long doesn’t change their thinking because that is always how they play.
“While I’m out there, I’m just playing ball,” said Slay. “Trying to get off the field as fast as we can.”
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Guard Mason McCormick is going home this week.
Well, kind of.
McCormick’s family has deep roots in Ireland, something that he learned about during a genealogy study by the Irish Family History Centre at the Irish Emigration Museum (EPIC) conducted by EPIC’s research manager, Kayleigh Bealin.
McCormick was presented with the opportunity to learn more about his family heritage in Ireland when the team learned of their game in Dublin, and he jumped at it.
“I thought it’d be cool to see where my family history was from,” said McCormick. “I think it’d be really cool for my parents to see it as well. I’m excited to be able to show them everything that I learned and have them learn our background as well.”
McCormick took part in a virtual meeting, learning about his family back to the 1800s. It was an eye-opening experience for him.
“It was super cool,” said McCormick. “I really didn’t have a very good idea at all about it. I just knew that I had family from Ireland. And to see how in-depth they could get was super, super cool.
“I think we were kind of in the dark about some of our family there, especially how long time ago it was.
“It is crazy to think about how far back and in-depth that they could trace my family and see all the things that they did.
“It was really cool to learn about it. I’m excited to go to Ireland and see it and learn more.”
McCormick said the Steelers trip to Dublin for the game against the Vikings on Irish soil takes on a little different meaning now that he knows about his family’s roots.
“I think it gives me a little more sense of pride going to play where my family is from,” said McCormick. “It’s definitely special.”
