Sunday’s game in Dublin, Ireland, just meant more to the Pittsburgh Steelers than the Minnesota Vikings due to the Rooney family ties to the Emerald Isle.
It was a special return home for the first NFL regular season game in Ireland, and fortunately for the Black and Gold, the Steelers took care of business, coming away with a much-needed 24-21 win over the Vikings to get to 3-1 entering their Week 5 bye week.
Though the late Ambassador Dan Rooney is no longer with us, his presence was felt throughout the week, particularly inside the Steelers’ organization. That culminated in the speech that head coach Mike Tomlin gave to the team Saturday night, one that Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and outside linebacker T.J. Watt said resonated with the organization as a whole.
“We definitely had a chip on our shoulder. Mike T last night gave a big, not a big speech, but a speech on the importance of the Rooney family here in Ireland,” Watt said, according to video via Steelers.com. “And Mr. Rooney, his ambassadorship here and how important this game means to their family. We take a lot of pride in that and to be able to go out there and play Steeler football was huge.”
Tomlin’s meetings with his teams over the years have been stuff of legend. Players past and present rave about them due to the command of the room that Tomlin has time and time again. This one had extra special meaning though, and it wasn’t just Saturday night’s meeting, either.
Tomlin’s words about the late Dan Rooney started last Tuesday during his session with the media in which he spoke highly about the former U.S. ambassador to Ireland. They continued throughout the week, and Dan Rooney’s name and presence was never far away, even after the Steelers’ 24-21 win with Tomlin telling reporters he thinks he’s smiling down on the Steelers today.
For Rodgers, who is still indoctrinating himself into the Steelers’ culture, Tomlin’s speech to the team was “impactful” and meant a great deal to him.
“Yeah, I mean, I’m not gonna share exactly what he said last night, but I thought it was definitely impactful,” Rodgers said. “Coach T talked about his relationship with the late, great Ambassador Rooney and how much he meant to him and how much Ambassador Rooney loved football, loved the guys and loved his appointment here in in Ireland. And me personally, I’m a little older, so I appreciate the history. There was a lot of us that wanted to win it a little bit more for the family, knowing how much affection they have for this area.
“So, I enjoyed that talk last night from Coach T and, again, I really enjoyed everything that we experienced here.”
It was a special moment for the Steelers, one that might not come around often for their players. Off the field it was a cultural experience to soak in, even if it was a quick trip. But on the field, it was a business trip, and it just meant more to the Steelers due to the Rooney family ties.
That the Steelers took care of business and came away with a win was extra special. It’s hard to win any week in the NFL but doing so in Dublin in a new environment with that game meaning so much to the organization, it’s fitting the Steelers did it by playing good defense, getting after the quarterback, and running the ball very well. Almost like an old-school Steelers performance.
