Week 4 Blog: Ready for the luck of the Irish

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Ready for the Luck of the Irish: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."

Bringing you the action:For fans who don't want to miss any of the action, NFL+ is here, which means you can now watch the Steelers live and on the go! Watch live local and primetime regular season games on mobile, plus NFL RedZone, NFL Network, live audio and more - all in one place.

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Wednesday, September 24

A special meaning: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.

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."

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."

Plug and play:Cornerback Brandin Echols came up huge against New England last week, with an interception and a tackle on fourth down that sealed the win on the Patriots last drive.

Echols made his first start of the season with injuries in the secondary, stepping up big when his number was called.

"It's a good thing because I get to show them what I'm able to do, especially in the new defense, new environment," said Echols. "Showing that I'm still capable of doing the same things that I was able to do all along."

Echols, who was signed as an unrestricted free agent this offseason, has a willingness to step in wherever he is needed, a player who doesn't complain no matter what his role is.

"It's a plug and play whenever they need me," said Echols. "I always make sure I'm available to be ready for whatever the team asks me to do."

Back to his roots: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."

Bringing you the action:For fans who don't want to miss any of the action, NFL+ is here, which means you can now watch the Steelers live and on the go! Watch live local and primetime regular season games on mobile, plus NFL RedZone, NFL Network, live audio and more - all in one place.

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Monday, September 22

Making it work:There is a feeling of excitement in the Steelers locker room this week as the team is preparing to play the first ever regular season NFL game in Dublin, Ireland.

The team will take on the Minnesota Vikings, and linebacker T.J. Watt is pumped for it.

"I'm really excited," said Watt. "Obviously, the Rooney family is huge over there. I'm just looking forward to seeing the fans over there and spreading the game. It's going to be fun.

"I'm trying to get as much rest as possible. Hopefully I can sleep on the flight over there. And just try to enjoy the culture and try to soak it up as much as possible because it's a once in a lifetime opportunity."

It doesn't hurt that the Steelers are coming off a 21-14 win over the New England Patriots as they prepare for the game, with the defense having a performance that included five sacks and five takeaways.

Watt himself accounted for two of those sacks, his first two of the 2025 season.

Watt said the pass rush worked because they made it tough on Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, mixing things up effectively so they could get home to him.

"We knew early on in the game that he had trouble diagnosing coverages," said Watt. "We just threw a different mix of things at him that made him hold the ball and we were able to get home.

"Obviously, the guys in the back did a great job. The guys up front just did really well. I think D-Harm (Derrick Harmon) had a great game for the reps that he had. Cam Heyward was a force. Obviously, Herb (Nick Herbig) was rushing the passer really well as well.

"We always want to get home. We do. Some weeks it just doesn't happen. Obviously, you want it to happen each and every week. We feel like we've had a unit for a lot of years here, where you look and you see three, four, sometimes six, seven sacks in a game and we haven't been doing that lately. So, it feels better to be able to get five on the board and be able contribute as a front."

The defense also had four forced fumbles and an interception, something where film study benefited them.

"It's an interesting thing," said Watt. "We work turnover circuit every day, every week. We always preach the culture. This week, the only difference was that we actually had some victims that have fumbled a lot. So that was definitely more of a point of emphasis."

Bringing the pressure:The Steelers pass rush put plenty of pressure on Patriots quarterback Drake Maye on Sunday, coming up with five sacks.

It's something they have been aiming for all season and to have it come to fruition was something that got them going early.

"It was big," said linebacker Payton Wilson. "Obviously, that's kind of the identity we live behind here. Win early, get them to a pass down situation and let them pin their ears back and hopefully get some splash for us.

"Whether that's a sack, whether that's pressure and so we get a pick, it was big-time.

"It was really cool to get back to the identity here. Win on first down, get some sacks, make some splash plays. That's kind of the identity around here. It was really good. Obviously, some things to clean up still, but it's trending in the right direction."

The defense also played stronger against the run, with 'smashing the run' the theme they have taken to heart week in and week out.

"That's what we've been preaching," said Wilson. "Everybody just do their job, be in their gap, play their assignment. Everybody was definitely more locked in on it.

"We've given up a lot of rush yards in the past two games, but just continuing to be assignment sound, focusing on it throughout the week. And when we get there, just executing it, not talking about it all week and kind of just letting it dwindle away, just continuing to execute."

The key this week will be putting it all together on a schedule that will differ from what they have become accustomed to with a game in Dublin, Ireland on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.

While it could disrupt a player's schedule, Wilson said the preparation they take throughout the year should help battle that.

"I think Coach Mike Tomlin, when we're in training camp, does a good job of switching venue, or switching routine, because he knows that stuff like this presents itself," said Wilson. "So, I don't think it changes too much.

"Obviously, the long flight. But when we get there, we've got to practice. We got to treat it the same way, like where we're back at home and prepare and go out there and get a W."

Wilson said he looks forward to the opportunity, which will be a huge change for him.

"I've never been out of the country," said Wilson. "So, this will be my first time. It's a dream come true. It's surreal to be able to travel across the country, go to battle with these guys that you love here, that you fight with every day. It's going to be pretty cool."

Bringing you the action:For fans who don't want to miss any of the action, NFL+ is here, which means you can now watch the Steelers live and on the go! Watch live local and primetime regular season games on mobile, plus NFL RedZone, NFL Network, live audio and more - all in one place.