Tomlin speech inspires Steelers to win in Dublin for late Rooney - ESPN

DUBLIN — The night before playing the first regular-season NFL game in Dublin, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin delivered an emotional speech to his team about the significance of the late Dan M. Rooney, a former U.S. ambassador to Ireland and influential Steelers chairman.

Less than 24 hours later, Tomlin and the Steelers held on for an emotional roller-coaster 24-21 win against the Vikings in the Rooney family's ancestral country in front of thousands of Terrible Towel-toting fans.

«We definitely had a chip on our shoulder,» edge rusher T.J. Watt said. «Mike T. last night gave a speech on the importance of the Rooney family here in Ireland 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."

The Steelers did just that with a mostly dominant defensive performance that included six sacks, two interceptions, 14 quarterback hits and 10 tackles for loss. They hung on through a late surge by the Vikings that brought the Carson Wentz-led team within three points, using a deflected pass by safety DeShon Elliott to seal the win with seconds remaining.

«I know he's smiling at us today,» Tomlin said of the former ambassador. «It's just an honor to fulfill his vision, to bring NFL football to Dublin.»

Designated as a Steelers home game, the crowd of nearly 75,000 was mostly Steelers fans, and they were raucous from the minute the gates opened three hours before kickoff.

«I thought the atmosphere was outstanding,» quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. «I come out early. In most NFL stadiums there's two hours when the stadium opens, and it starts to trickle in. Somebody came back in the locker