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The NFL released the full slate of team schedules on Wednesday, and the Pittsburgh Steelers have a particular game that sticks out in their upcoming campaign - a Sept. 28 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings in Ireland.
Steelers' president Art Rooney II was quite excited about the international game, but something else stuck out to him immediately. In 2024, the Steelers didn't have a divisional game until Week 11, and as a result had to play four consecutive games against divisional rivals.
"I like to have them a little more spread out than what we had last year," said Rooney. "I thought last year was a little too much at the end of the season, and so I like the way the division games fall this year a little better."
The Steelers will take part in the first ever NFL regular season game played in Ireland, and it's the second ever international contest in franchise history.
"We had a little bit of input, not a lot in terms of the date and our opponent in Ireland," said Rooney, "but we're happy with how the game fell (on the schedule) and where it falls on the calendar. And the great thing is that the ticket demand is already through the roof. We're going to have a great Steelers crowd in Dublin."
The Steelers' bye week is the week immediately following the Ireland game.
"Let's say this, we didn't ask for the bye after the Ireland game," said Rooney. "The league has in the past, kind of tended to try to give teams their bye following an International Game. I don't think that's the rule anymore, but you know it's not a bad way to do it. It is a long trip, and so it doesn't hurt to have the bye coming after that."
Pittsburgh is in primetime on multiple occasions in 2025, with four such games coming in the final 13 weeks of the season.
"We're not crazy about having the night games late in the season," said Rooney. "It happens, and it's not a big, big deal, but we would prefer not to have too many night games late in the season. Obviously I also look for the long trips and how they fall, and unfortunately we have a Sunday night game in Los Angeles. Not crazy about the playing those night games on the West Coast."
Of course, the NFL always reserves the right to flex games based on how the season goes. A Thursday night game could get flexed to Monday and vice versa.
"They do give you a little more notice if they're moving the day as opposed to just moving the time," said Rooney. "If they're moving the kickoff time, they just have to give you a week's notice. If they're moving the day, I think it's three weeks' notice that they have to give you now. So it's a little different if they're moving the day of the game."
Despite not being on the holiday schedule this season, Rooney doesn't believe that the fans will feel particularly wounded.
"I think fans have gotten accustomed to the fact that we play on nights, weekends and holidays, and so any day of the week is fair game nowadays. And our fans have responded," said Rooney. "We've had games on Christmas as you know, and our fans have turned out. So it doesn't seem to be a problem."
One of the most beloved times of the NFL season is when teams deploy throwbacks and color rush uniforms, and in 2025 the league is allowing teams to rock an alternate helmet. Rooney spoke on the Steelers' plans for alternates this season, including mentioning a new throwback.
"We are going to have a new throwback uniform this year, and with a new helmet to go with it," said Rooney. "We're planning to wear our new throwbacks for the Packers game on Sunday night, Oct. 26. It'll be fun to wear our throwbacks against one of the older franchises in the league – that just seems to be appropriate. We'll be doing our color rush uniforms late in the year. I think we're going to do it for the Monday night game on Dec. 15 against the Miami Dolphins."
Added Rooney of his overall impressions: "I don't have any major complaints with the schedule. The only little complaint I have is that a night game on the West Coast is always something I'd prefer to avoid. But it happens, and we'll deal with it. All in all, I like the way the schedule lays out. And it's fairly balanced."
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Steelers' president Art Rooney II was quite excited about the international game, but something else stuck out to him immediately. In 2024, the Steelers didn't have a divisional game until Week 11, and as a result had to play four consecutive games against divisional rivals.
"I like to have them a little more spread out than what we had last year," said Rooney. "I thought last year was a little too much at the end of the season, and so I like the way the division games fall this year a little better."
The Steelers will take part in the first ever NFL regular season game played in Ireland, and it's the second ever international contest in franchise history.
"We had a little bit of input, not a lot in terms of the date and our opponent in Ireland," said Rooney, "but we're happy with how the game fell (on the schedule) and where it falls on the calendar. And the great thing is that the ticket demand is already through the roof. We're going to have a great Steelers crowd in Dublin."
The Steelers' bye week is the week immediately following the Ireland game.
"Let's say this, we didn't ask for the bye after the Ireland game," said Rooney. "The league has in the past, kind of tended to try to give teams their bye following an International Game. I don't think that's the rule anymore, but you know it's not a bad way to do it. It is a long trip, and so it doesn't hurt to have the bye coming after that."
Pittsburgh is in primetime on multiple occasions in 2025, with four such games coming in the final 13 weeks of the season.
"We're not crazy about having the night games late in the season," said Rooney. "It happens, and it's not a big, big deal, but we would prefer not to have too many night games late in the season. Obviously I also look for the long trips and how they fall, and unfortunately we have a Sunday night game in Los Angeles. Not crazy about the playing those night games on the West Coast."
Of course, the NFL always reserves the right to flex games based on how the season goes. A Thursday night game could get flexed to Monday and vice versa.
"They do give you a little more notice if they're moving the day as opposed to just moving the time," said Rooney. "If they're moving the kickoff time, they just have to give you a week's notice. If they're moving the day, I think it's three weeks' notice that they have to give you now. So it's a little different if they're moving the day of the game."
Despite not being on the holiday schedule this season, Rooney doesn't believe that the fans will feel particularly wounded.
"I think fans have gotten accustomed to the fact that we play on nights, weekends and holidays, and so any day of the week is fair game nowadays. And our fans have responded," said Rooney. "We've had games on Christmas as you know, and our fans have turned out. So it doesn't seem to be a problem."
One of the most beloved times of the NFL season is when teams deploy throwbacks and color rush uniforms, and in 2025 the league is allowing teams to rock an alternate helmet. Rooney spoke on the Steelers' plans for alternates this season, including mentioning a new throwback.
"We are going to have a new throwback uniform this year, and with a new helmet to go with it," said Rooney. "We're planning to wear our new throwbacks for the Packers game on Sunday night, Oct. 26. It'll be fun to wear our throwbacks against one of the older franchises in the league – that just seems to be appropriate. We'll be doing our color rush uniforms late in the year. I think we're going to do it for the Monday night game on Dec. 15 against the Miami Dolphins."
Added Rooney of his overall impressions: "I don't have any major complaints with the schedule. The only little complaint I have is that a night game on the West Coast is always something I'd prefer to avoid. But it happens, and we'll deal with it. All in all, I like the way the schedule lays out. And it's fairly balanced."
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Related: Steelers Might Have New Competition Signing Aaron Rodgers
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