PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – We’ve known about it for a few months, but Tuesday on ‘Good Morning Football’ on the NFL Network the date and opponent officially announced for the Steelers game in Dublin, Ireland this year. They will play Minnesota on September 28 at 82,000 seat Croke Park stadium.
The Vikings are the only other team the Steelers have played in an international, regular season matchup. Vikings won that game 34-27 at Wembley Stadium in London on September 29, 2013. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 383 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He was also sacked five times and fumbled once. Adrian Peterson rushed for 140 yards and two touchdowns and Matt Cassel threw for two TD and was sacked only once for Minnesota. Current Steeler Cordarrelle Patterson played for the Vikings averaging 28.8 yards per kickoff return in that game and ESPN analyst Ryan Clark was the Steelers leading tackler.
Minnesota was also the Steelers opponent in its first Super Bowl, winning 16-6 as Franco Harris was named MVP rushing for 158 yards and a touchdown. The defense intercepted Vikings QB Fran Tarkenton three times.
The NFL originally chose the Steelers to be the first home team for the first regular-season game in Ireland because of the family’s ‘authentic heritage’ of the Rooney family.
“Growing up around my grandfather and my father, one of the lessons they always taught us is our strong connection to Ireland and how meaningful the island is to our family,” said Dan Rooney, great-grandson of the Steelers founder and currently the team’s director of business development and strategy.
Rooney said they’ve worked with Irish officials and the NFL over the last couple of years to help grow the game in Ireland. That includes bringing former players over to run camps.