The last time the Pittsburgh Steelers played in an international game, they struggled with jet lag in London in 2013 against, ironically, the Minnesota Vikings in a blowout loss.
Now, 12 years later, the Steelers are largely on the same schedule after traveling to Ireland to take on the Vikings at Croke Park Sunday in the first-ever regular season game on the Emerald Isle.
The travel and the disruption of the normal day-to-day schedule in the NFL life could be a challenge for the Black and Gold, but fourth-year wide receiver Calvin Austin III doesn’t see it that way.
Speaking with reporters Friday after landing in Ireland, Austin said the schedule will be a challenge for both teams, but he believes the Steelers will be flying once they hit the field in Dublin.
“It can affect the team if you allow it to affect you. Both teams had to travel and at the end of the day, we’ll be playing football whether some guys may be tired or whatever,” Austin said of the travel, according to video via Steelers.com. “At the end of the day we get to get out on that field and play a game that we love. So I think regardless of how people are feeling today or when they wake up, I think when we get out there on the field, we’ll all be flying.”
Calvin Austin on the challenge of playing international: “It can affect the team if you allow it to affect you. But both teams had to travel. At the end of the day, we’re playing football. … I think when we get out there on the field we’ll be flying.”
— Brian Batko (@BrianBatko) September 26, 2025
Both teams did have to travel. In fact, that Vikings had to travel further than the Steelers, too. So, maybe the Steelers have a slight advantage there.
But none of that will, or should, matter once the ball is kicked off Sunday at Croke Park. Both teams will have had some time to acclimate to the time zone and adjust in an effort to shake off some jet lag. From there, it’s all about football.
The Steelers will hold a practice Friday on the grounds of the Carton House, which is where the team will be staying all weekend until traveling to Dublin for the game Sunday. Getting out on the field, shaking off some of the jet lag, getting the blood flowing and getting back to it being business as usual could help the Steelers get their legs back underneath them and gear up for the game.
Pittsburgh was already attempting to adjust to the time differences earlier in the week while back in Pittsburgh, holding meetings and practices earlier in the day in an effort to speed up the process. But there’s nothing like the real thing. Now, they’re on Ireland soil and have the big game in just a few days.
Austin believes they’ll be flying. They’ve done anything but that on offense in recent weeks, but maybe the boost of adrenaline and the meaning of the game to the Rooney family and the Steelers organization could be the shot in the arm the Steelers need in the Week 4 matchup.
