Brooke Pryor
DUBLIN — The evening earlier than taking part in the primary regular-season NFL recreation in Dublin, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin delivered an emotional speech to his group in regards to the significance of the late Dan M. Rooney, a former U.S. ambassador to Eire and influential Steelers chairman.
Lower than 24 hours later, Tomlin and the Steelers held on for an emotional rollercoaster win 24-21 win in opposition to the Vikings within the Rooney household's homeland in entrance of hundreds of Horrible Towel-toting followers.
“We undoubtedly had a chip on our shoulder,” edge rusher T.J. Watt stated. “Mike T final evening gave a speech on the significance of the Rooney household right here in Eire and Mr. Rooney, his ambassadorship right here and the way necessary this recreation means to their household.
“We take quite a lot of satisfaction in that, and to have the ability to go on the market and play Steeler soccer was large.”
The Steelers did simply that with a principally dominant defensive efficiency that included six sacks, two interceptions, 14 quarterback hits and 10 tackles for loss. They held on via a late surge by the Vikings that introduced the Carson Wentz-led group inside three factors, utilizing a deflected move by security DeShon Elliott to seal the win with seconds remaining.
“I do know he is smiling at us right now,” Tomlin stated of the previous ambassador. “It is simply an honor to satisfy his imaginative and prescient, to deliver NFL soccer to Dublin.”
Designated as a Steelers dwelling recreation, the gang of almost 75,000 was principally Steelers followers, they usually have been raucous from the minute the gates opened three hours earlier than kickoff.
“I believed the environment was excellent,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers stated. “I come out early. In most NFL stadiums there's two hours when the stadium opens, and it begins to trickle in. Someone got here again within the locker room at like 11:00 and goes, man, there is a ton of individuals on the market already. I used to be like, yeah, we're not within the states anymore. This can be a totally different kind of fan.
“… Plenty of horrible towels there, however I felt like there was most likely some good previous Irish getting within the combine too waving these towels round a little bit bit. The music was nice. The followers have been cool. The sector was pristine.”
All the gameday expertise was an embodiment of Pittsburgh traditions and the Rooney household's Irish heritage. Throughout warmups, the Clada Home Band, an Irish group, carried out dwell units between a DJ mixing top-40 hits and songs from Irish artists. The sport additionally featured performances of each the U.S. and Irish nationwide anthems.
“This has all the time been a dream of his,” tight finish Connor Heyward stated of Rooney. “Even on the best way right here to the stadium, you possibly can get chills. I obtained chills simply seeing all of the Steelers followers and having this chance after which additionally with the nationwide anthem, like listening to the U.S. Nationwide Anthem after which listening to the Eire nationwide Anthem. Two opposites, one's extra lit, however it was actually cool.”
Simply as they do at Acrisure Stadium, the Steelers additionally performed the Pittsburgh Polka earlier than kickoff. In a while, the stadium ushered within the fourth quarter with a crowd-led singalong to “Zombie” by the Cranberries, an Irish rock band shaped in Limerick.
After the Steelers kicked a subject aim to take an 18-point lead later within the closing quarter, the jumbotron screens went darkish and Styx's Renegade, the Steelers' defensive anthem, started to play.
Sunday's win capped a whirlwind three-day journey to the island for the Steelers, who arrived on Friday and promptly took an hour-long bus journey to Carton Home for his or her weekend lodging. The Steelers practiced on the property a pair hours after arriving, utilizing the identical fields beforehand utilized by the Irish nationwide rugby group forward of matches in Dublin. In addition they held an in depth walk-through on Saturday.
Earlier within the week, Rodgers expressed a need to have arrived to Eire earlier, however he clarified Sunday that he merely wished he'd had an extended keep in considered one of his three profession worldwide video games.
Between practices, the group had free time to discover Dublin.
“It was a brief journey, however from the second we landed, the safety guys over on the Carton Home have been hilarious,” Rodgers stated. “The Guinness was good in downtown Dublin. It is going to be a pleasant flight again with hopefully a yearly return by us or two different groups.”
Although a lot of the journey was a constructive expertise, Steelers backup quarterback Skylar Thompson, who wasn't scheduled to play as a result of he is on injured reserve, was robbed on Friday evening, however he was on the recreation on Sunday in a sweatsuit.
Requested if Dublin did sufficient to earn one other NFL recreation, Rodgers was definitive.
“100%,” he stated. “Sure.”
