NFL players don't always relish the chance to play overseas. But that might change, at least for Pittsburgh Steelers players, if team chairman/owner Dan Rooney convinced the league to play a game in Dublin, where Rooney spent three years as the U.S. ambassador to Ireland.
"I would like it for (Rooney)," Ben Roethlisberger told the Irish Examiner. "That's how much he means to me, and I think everyone on our team would say that. Even if guys said they would never want to play in London, 100 percent of the guys on our team would say they would play in Dublin for Mr. Rooney. I'd do it for him."
Kinkhabwala: Pairing up in Pittsburgh
After a rocky first season together, Ben Roethlisberger and Todd Haley are starting to gel, Aditi Kinkhabwala reports. **More ...**
Roethlisberger is so loyal to Rooney that he spent his Fourth of July celebration with Rooney in Dublin, helping spread the gospel of American football. The Steelers will play the Minnesota Vikings at Wembley Stadium in London this season in Week 4.
Rooney has talked up a possible Dublin game for years. The NFL hasn't shown any real movement toward the possibility, but it doesn't seem so crazy considering Rooney's influence in the league.
The hardest part in scheduling overseas games: Finding a team willing to give up a home game. It sounds like that wouldn't be so hard in this case.
Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.
