NFL Blocks Steelers’ Early Trip to Ireland, Then Offers Baffling Explanation

The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing for their overseas matchup in Dublin against the Minnesota Vikings, but the focus this week hasn’t just been on the field – it’s on the flight. Head coach Mike Tomlin and his team had planned to leave earlier in the week to get ahead of jet lag, only for the NFL to step in and shut it down.

According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the league ruled that both teams must arrive at the same time, preventing Pittsburgh from adjusting their travel schedule. “FYI, the Steelers wanted to go over early in the week, but the NFL said no and (is) making each team arrive at the same time,” Dulac wrote. “I don’t know the exact reason for the change… maybe it has to do with competitive advantage. But it wasn’t the Steelers’ decision.”

The move stirred immediate frustration, particularly because Pittsburgh has lived through the nightmare before. Back in 2013, the Steelers looked sluggish in a London loss to the Vikings after arriving late in the week. Defensive captain Cam Heyward, the lone remaining player from that roster, still recalls how rough it was.

“We left Thursday night and arrived Friday morning,” Heyward said on the Not Just Football with Cam Heyward podcast. “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… it’s not ideal.”

Tomlin reportedly wanted to avoid that exact scenario this time, only to be denied by the league. It’s a move that has left Steelers Nation scratching their heads, wondering why the team can’t be given the flexibility to prepare properly.

The silver lining? Minnesota will face the same problem this time around. Back in 2013, the Vikings left earlier and had the advantage. Now, with both sides forced into the same travel timeline, the playing field is at least level – even if both teams end up yawning their way through kickoff.