The NFL has announced the broadcast team for the upcoming regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings, set to take place at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland. Joe Davis will serve as play-by-play announcer, Greg Olsen as color analyst, with Pam Oliver and Jamie Erdahl on the sidelines. The game is scheduled to be broadcast on NFL Network and streamed via NFL+. Kickoff is set for 9:30 a.m. EST.
The matchup on Sept. 28 marks the first time an NFL regular season game will be played in Ireland. It also represents the first occasion where a game between two teams has taken place in three different countries. The last international meeting between these teams occurred on Sept. 29, 2013, in London.
For Minnesota, this contest precedes another overseas appearance; the team will face the Cleveland Browns in London on Oct. 5. This makes them the first NFL team to play games in two different countries outside the United States in consecutive weeks.
Steelers president Art Rooney II has consistently supported playing a game in Ireland. Rooney stated, “The opportunity for the Pittsburgh Steelers to play in Ireland is truly special, not only because of the Rooney family history there but because it allows us to connect with Irish fans while also giving fans who travel from Pittsburgh and beyond a unique football experience (…) We are thrilled to be part of this historic event and to represent Pittsburgh on a global stage.”
Rooney told Andrew Stockey of WTAE that travel plans for this trip mirror those of their previous journey to London: “I think the team is planning to leave on Thursday, arriving In Dublin on Friday morning (…) So we’ll have two practices Friday and Saturday. And the game on Sunday. And leave right after the game.”
Reflecting on past experience, Steelers All-Pro defensive tackle Cam Heyward offered his perspective during an episode of his Not Just Football podcast: “We left Thursday night and arrived Friday morning (…) Everybody was asleep during practice. Everybody was falling asleep during the stretch. Then we had meetings after, everybody fell asleep there. Then, during the game, everybody was asleep in the first half. It’s rough because you’re going, what? It’ll be five hours ahead? So you’re trying to get sleep on a plane going over there. It’s not ideal.”
Despite logistical challenges experienced previously by players such as Heyward and former quarterback Ben Roethlisberger regarding jet lag from late-week departures for international games, Rooney confirmed there will be no changes made to current travel plans.
