Steelers Now
PALM BEACH, Fla. — Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II is excited to host a regular season game in Ireland this season. It’s something that the Rooney family has been pushing for over the last several years.
“We’re excited to be going to Ireland,” Rooney said at the NFL owner’s meetings on Tuesday. “I told the league we need more tickets. The demand so far has been great and we’re looking forward to it. … I’ve been wearing my green suit jacket a lot lately.”
The Rooneys have deep ties to Ireland. Dan Rooney served as the United States Ambassador to Ireland, from 2009-2012. He was also co-founder of the Ireland-related fundraising organization The Ireland Funds. Dan Rooney always wanted the Steelers to host a regular season game in the ancestral home of the family.
“I’m really excited about it, to be quite honest with you, because I just think about the late, great Ambassador [Daniel M.] Rooney, and how fired up he would be about it, and so it makes me smile when I think about it,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said at the NFL owner’s meetings on Monday morning. “It’s an honor to represent our game and our country over there, and I look forward to doing so.”
The venue of the contest will be at the historic Croke Park. Croke Park played host to a preseason game between the Steelers and Chicago Bears back in 1997. That was the only other time that the Steelers have played in Ireland. The Steelers will be the first NFL team to host a regular season game on the Emerald Isle.
The Steelers’ opponent has not been announced yet, but there’s been speculation that it will be the Green Bay Packers. On Monday, Green Bay was granted global marketing rights in Ireland, so the Steelers vs. Packers seems to make a lot of sense.
The opponent, date and kickoff time will be announced by the NFL revealed later this spring. Either right before or in the entire 2025 NFL schedule release.
“It will be in and around the (entire) schedule release,” NFL executive Peter O’Reilly said on Monday. “If not in that window of the schedule release, right prior to that. It’s important to look at all the factors and get the best possible schedule out there.”
Tomlin hasn’t got a hint on when the Steelers will play in Ireland.
“I have no idea. We’ll be there,” he said.
Alan Saunders of Steelers Now has been told to expect the Steelers game in Ireland to be on Sept. 28. That’s Week 4.
The Steelers will give up a home game due to playing in Ireland, as they are required to do by NFL rule at least once every eight years. The Steelers have never hosted an international game. They played as the visiting team against the Minnesota Vikings in London in 2013.
Alan Saunders contributed reporting from Palm Beach, Fla.
