Steelers outlast Vikings in Dublin despite disastrous 4th quarter

Brian Batko, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Sep 28, 2025

Published in Football

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DUBLIN — All was right in the Rooney world Sunday. But even on another continent, the Pittsburgh Steelers couldn't make it easy.

In the first NFL regular season game ever staged in Ireland, the Steelers paid homage to the legacy of the franchise, holding off the Minnesota Vikings 24-21 at 141-year-old Croke Park. But not before things got dicey.

On a sunny afternoon with Terrible Towels twirling as if it was Acrisure Stadium, the Steelers (3-1) rode their brightest stars to victory. DK Metcalf ripped off an 80-yard touchdown catch, T.J. Watt had a jaw-dropping interception, and the supporting cast members pitched in here and there when they could.

That's exactly what they did, from Kenneth Gainwell to Keeanu Benton to DeShon Elliott. Aaron Rodgers was pretty sharp, too, throwing just four incompletions on 22 attempts for 200 yards.

Until the fourth quarter, when he led a furious comeback from a 24-6 deficit, Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz was more overwhelmed than the concession stands and merchandise tents at the stadium, where football-loving fans from all over descended upon Dublin. The majority of the partisan crowd got to enjoy a Steelers victory. And the unbiased observers who just wanted to see individual greatness and a close game were treated to both — maybe even enough to last until the NFL returns here again.

It was over when ...

Elliott broke up Wentz's fourth-and-18 heave with eight seconds left, validating Mike Tomlin's controversial decision to punt on fourth-and-inches at the Vikings 40 with 1:08 remaining.

Player of the game

Metcalf. The Steelers' first massive acquisition of this offseason turned in his first 100-yard game with his new team. But he also had the biggest play of the day. Metcalf caught a Rodgers pass at the 33, shook off a tackle, fired up the jets, turned the corner, got just enough of a block way downfield from Calvin Austin III and finished the play at the 2-yard line to score early in the second quarter to make it 14-3. That was Metcalf showing off his freakish speed and strength at its best, and it's a jolt for the passing game not just for one game but potentially for the rest of the season.

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Watt. After ending his six-game drought with two sacks last week, Watt turned up the wattage even more in Ireland. Yes, he had another sack, but the highlight was his interception of Wentz a little more than midway through the third quarter. On third-and-long, under duress, Wentz panicked and threw a pass that Watt tipped at the line. He then corralled it himself — shades of what he's done to Joe Burrow in the past — and returned it 13 yards. Watt was so pumped he punted the ball over the barrier between the sideline and the stands, much like a Gaelic football play.

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Isaac Seumalo. While it had already been an iffy start to the season for the Steelers' most experienced offensive lineman, Seumlo had probably his worst moment of 2025 so far. A brutal rep in pass protection allowed a sack to defensive lineman Jalen Redmond in the final two minutes of the first half. Not only is that a negative play, but subjecting Rodgers to any punishment is a hold-your-breath situation.

Up next

A week off to recuperate from the international travel, emotionally charged Ireland game and prepare for the Cleveland Browns back at Acrisure Stadium.

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