Steelers And The Rooneys Are Passionate To Return To Ireland For Their First Game Since 1997

The Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the largest international fan bases in the NFL, mainly due to their success which has spanned many decades. The Steelers' founding family, the Rooneys, originate from Ireland and came over to America in the 1840s. Steelers founder Art Rooney Sr. was born in 1901, and the Rooney family originally arrived in Pittsburgh in 1884. In 1933, Rooney Sr. founded the Steelers in the city of the Pittsburgh, and the rest is history. The Steelers are loved in Ireland, in part due to their founding family having such strong ties with the country. 

Rooney Sr.'s son, Dan Rooney, who was the Steelers owner, chairman, and president before Art Rooney II, served as the United States ambassador to Ireland from 2009 through 2012 under President Barack Obama. This shows how proud the Rooneys are to be from Ireland, and exactly why they might be so passionate to get the Steelers there for a game in the near future. On Tuesday, the Steelers hosted a kicking clinic in Dublin, where Daniel Rooney - the son of Rooney II and Steelers Director Of Business Development And Strategy, discussed the Steelers' desire to play in Ireland and the organization's love for the country, which was reported by Andrew Ryan of The Irish Sun.

"Something I learned through my grandfather and my father is just having a love for where our home country is, and getting back here and understanding our family's history. Always special to take the flight over and get back and understand where we are from."

The last time an NFL game was played in Ireland was during the 1997 season. It was actually before the 1997 season, during a preseason game where the Steelers took on the Chicago Bears. The Steelers won the game 30-17, although it was just a preseason game that was dubbed the 'Preseason American Bowl' that didn't count towards any meaningful standings. The game did help grow each organization's brand internationally, which is always a priority of the NFL. 

The NFL has had countless international games since 1997, but has yet to return to Ireland. During the 2023 season, the Jacksonville Jaguars stayed in London for back-to-back weeks as they played two games overseas in just one season. The 2024 season will open in Brazil in a game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers, which shows a clear desire from the NFL to grow the international market. 

The Steelers were given their license to explore their global market, brand, and host activities in Ireland back before the start of the 2023 season. The Steelers would like to use that license to bring professional football back to Ireland according to Daniel Rooney, hopefully for a regular season game this time. 

"When we got the license back in May of 2023, we said it is something we are passionate about and we would love to see another game like in 1997. To see the Steelers in Ireland would be extremely exciting. There are impressive venues here in Dublin and it's close to other big markets. We know the Irish love the sport, so we believe they would show up to a game, but just the other markets that travel here make them a viable option." 

An NFL game in Ireland would certainly be a success for the NFL, especially if an internationally-popular team like the Steelers is playing in it. The Steelers were rumored to be on the NFL's short list of opponents for the Eagles' Week 1 game in Brazil for the 2024 season, but they were passed up for the opportunity. Maybe in the next few NFL seasons, the Steelers will get to travel overseas to where the organization's founding family originated.

Former Steelers Players Joined Rooney In Ireland

A couple former Steelers players made the trip to Dublin for the organization's kicking clinic. Former specialists Shaun Suisham and Jordan Berry were there to give pointers and tips to the camp's attendees. Suisham was cut by the Steelers in 2005 before becoming the organization's kicker from 2010 through 2015. Berry was with Pittsburgh from 2015 through 2020 as their punter, and then rejoined the Steelers in 2022 before being released. 

Both past and present Steelers players are passionate about getting the team over to Ireland for a game, do you want to see that happen too?