NFL Dublin: The Pittsburgh Steelers are back in Ireland in 2025. Honoring the Rooney family legacy with a historic NFL game at Dublin’s Croke Park. Every trip to Newry was incomplete for the late Pittsburgh Steelers chairman Daniel M. Rooney unless he visited the Whitegates civic center, a local hub he helped establish in the 1990s. Local entrepreneur Feargal McCormack recalled that Rooney always paused for tea with residents and valued the personal bond.
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That tradition will continue when the Rooney family visits Newry on Thursday. Before crossing the border into the Republic of Ireland for the Steelers’ matchup. With the Minnesota Vikings at Croke Park in Dublin. Sunday’s contest marks Ireland’s first time hosting an official NFL game. Regular-season game and doubles as a Rooney homecoming celebrated across two countries.
The family traces its roots to Newry, just five miles from the border, where Steelers president Art Rooney II will appear at an event with the Ireland Funds. That organization was cofounded by his father decades earlier.
Became a major philanthropic initiative long before Daniel Rooney was appointed United States ambassador to Ireland in 2009. Henry Hodgson, NFL UK and Ireland GM, noted the Rooney name carries major influence, sparking momentum when the family voiced interest in an Ireland NFL Dublin game.
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The Steelers were already dominating the NFL in the mid-1970s, capturing back-to-back Super Bowl titles in 1975 and 1976, when Daniel Rooney turned his focus to the escalating sectarian violence in Northern Ireland. He cofounded the Ireland Funds, which has since raised hundreds of millions of dollars dedicated to reconciliation and peace-building initiatives.
Rooney’s vision extended further when he cofounded the Newry-Pittsburgh Partnership in 1990 to strengthen business and educational links between the regions. McCormack, a close friend of the Rooney family and senior partner at AAB, explained how Rooney’s consistent visits inspired local confidence and paved the way for later success.
McCormack also researched the Rooney lineage and traced it back to Newry in 1846 when Arthur J. Rooney’s great-grandfather emigrated to America. This deep heritage explains the family’s enduring commitment to Ireland. As ambassador, Daniel Rooney vowed to visit all 32 counties, both north and south, while keeping his ritual of sharing tea with local communities.
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The NFL’s 2025 global markets program grants Pittsburgh exclusive commercial rights across the island of Ireland. This enables the team to attract sponsorships, host fan engagement events, and build stronger connections as part of the NFL Dublin expansion strategy. Rooney, VP of business strategy, drives the team’s expansion.
He will visit Belfast on Thursday, along with franchise legends Jerome Bettis and Ike Taylor, to host a youth flag football clinic. The Steelers also collaborate with the Gaelic Athletic Association, owners of Croke Park, to strengthen community ties and build a loyal Irish fan base. Daniel Rooney, who passed away in 2017, had long championed the idea of a regular-season game in Dublin.
While Croke Park petitioned for such a contest in 2013, the NFL ultimately added another London fixture that season instead. Ironically, Pittsburgh was selected to play that London game, where they lost to the Vikings 34-27. Art Rooney later recalled that his father had consistently pushed for Dublin to be put on rights.
The Steelers had previously played a 1997 preseason game at Croke Park, defeating the Chicago Bears 30-17. Rooney’s affection for Gaelic games also fueled his interest in the stadium’s modernization. According to GAA communications director Alan Milton, Rooney even offered advice during redevelopment to ensure the facility could host multiuse events, an influence still appreciated today.
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Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin emphasized the importance of this milestone for the entire organization. He noted that he will be thinking about Daniel Rooney during the team’s stay in Ireland because of Rooney’s deep passion for the country. Tomlin expressed confidence that the late ambassador would be proud to see the Steelers finally play in Dublin.
Daniel Rooney’s life was defined not only by football success but also by a commitment to diplomacy and philanthropy. His leadership bridged communities in Northern Ireland, strengthened U.S.-Ireland relations, and ensured that sport could serve as a means of unity.
The family’s heritage, business ties, and charitable influence have all come full circle with this NFL Dublin matchup. More than just another NFL Dublin game, the Steelers-Vikings clash represents a tribute to the man whose vision helped make it possible. The symbolism of playing at Croke Park, in front of Irish and international fans, cements the Rooneys’ transatlantic legacy.
With the NFL Dublin pursuing aggressive international growth, the Pittsburgh Steelers stand at the forefront thanks to their heritage and family-driven connections. As fans gather in Dublin, the occasion delivers not only a thrilling football spectacle but also a celebration of culture, community, and a lasting bond between Ireland and one of America’s most storied franchises.
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